Family of Ottawa mass murder victims calls on immigration department for help

OTTAWA — The brother and father of an Ottawa man whose wife and four children were killed in a gruesome mass stabbing last year are asking the federal government for help as they face immigration challenges.

Febrio De-Zoysa was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty on Thursday to killing Darshani Ekanayake, her four children — including a two-month-old infant — and their family friend Gamini Amarakoon in an Ottawa townhouse in March 2024.

The children’s father Dhanushka Wickramasinghe was injured in the attack but survived.

His application for permanent residency on compassionate grounds was approved in principle almost a year ago, but he has heard nothing about it since.

Wickramasinghe’s brother Chelaka Wickramasinghe and his father Thissa Wickramasinghe — who came to Canada after the murders to support him — have heard nothing at all about their own permanent residency applications.

Wickramasinghe’s brother is also looking for an extension to his temporary resident permit so he can work, and is asking the government to reconsider after it denied his wife and daughter visitor visas that would allow them to travel to Canada.

Chelaka’s victim impact statement, which was read in court Thursday, said it was difficult to find the right words to describe the depth of the pain his family has been enduring.

“I left everything and came to Canada to support my brother right after the tragedy because I’m the only sibling he has,” his statement said. “Since then, I’ve been unable to leave Canada because my brother needs me.”

The statement said Chelaka hasn’t been able to visit his wife and daughter for “a long time” and he doesn’t have a visa to travel.

“Every day I feel torn between being a husband and father on one side and a brother and son on the other,” said the statement.

The statement indicated that Chelaka has lost his job and is “barely managing” to support his family back home.

“The emotional and financial weight has become very heavy, and I feel helpless watching my family fall apart across two countries,” his statement read.

Noting that “there is nothing in this world that can bring back what we lost,” his statement said having his wife and daughter in Canada “would bring some healing, not only for me, but also for my brother and father.”

Ronalee Carey, an immigration lawyer who is representing the family now that the criminal matters have been resolved, told reporters Thursday that the family wishes to remain in Canada.

Carey said they’re asking that the applications be processed so that Chelaka can work and send money home to his wife and his daughter, and that his family be allowed eventually to join him in Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2025.

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press