Lascelles Allen is seen in this handout photo.
He was under a court order not to contact her, but last Friday a Toronto woman allegedly agreed to meet her former boyfriend anyway because he wanted to retrieve some of his belongings.
The encounter allegedly ended with the woman – a mother of three young girls – stabbed and left to die on her kitchen floor, while it is believed that her ex later tried to commit suicide by jumping in front of an incoming train.
The tragedy first came to the public attention during rush hour Friday afternoon after GO Transit and Via Rail services were disrupted because a train struck a pedestrian at an underpass in Scarborough.
A fuller, lurid backstory emerged Sunday when Toronto police investigators released the name of the suspect and victim in an appeal for witnesses.
Suraiya Gangaram reportedly dated Lascelles Allen "on and off" for about two years, Toronto police Detective Sergeant Stephen Ryan told reporters.
The 31-year-old Ms. Gangaram had three children, aged eight to 14, from a previous relationship. Last fall, she ended her relationship with Mr. Allen after he was arrested and charged with assaulting her.
Mr. Allen was released under conditions that included not having communications with Ms. Gangaram, Det. Sgt. Ryan said.
Last Friday, however, Ms. Gangaram allegedly agreed to meet Mr. Allen again, at the Danzig Street townhouse where she had recently relocated.
When Ms. Gangaram's eldest daughter returned from school, she found her mother unconscious on the kitchen floor.
A neighbour, Cheryl Colbert, told the Toronto Sun Saturday that the 14-year-old daughter ran out, screaming "Help me, my mom is dead."
Ms. Colbert and another neighbour rushed inside to help and saw that Ms. Gangaram had been stabbed several times and was lying in a lot of drying blood.
Ms. Gangaram was pronounced dead after police were called, around 4:15 p.m.
Det. Sgt. Ryan said Mr. Allen meanwhile allegedly made his way five kilometres southwest, where he got onto the rail tracks that intersect Markham Road, north of Eglinton Avenue.
Around 4:40 p.m., Mr. Allen allegedley hurled himself in front of the westbound Via Rail train arriving from Montreal.
"He's in bad shape but he's alive," Det. Sgt. Ryan said.
Police believe the killing was premeditated and charged Mr. Allen with first-degree murder and failing to comply with his bail conditions.
The suspect is a 51-year-old unemployed resident of Scarborough, Det. Sgt. Ryan said.
Investigators are reviewing surveillance-camera videos and are seeking witnesses who have had contact with the suspect before the killing.
Ms. Gangaram's three children have been placed with a friend until a decision is made about foster care.
Tu Thanh Ha