The evidence pointed to one inescapable conclusion: Ben Maize tunneled into his neighbor’s apartment. Justice Eric Tolppanen delivered the verdict Monday, dismissing suggestions that another party was responsible for the bizarre break-in.
The victim, Betty Golightly, had been away from her Calgary apartment for a full month, from August 5th to September 5th. During that time, Maize meticulously breached the wall separating their units, creating a hidden pathway behind the drywall.
He didn’t simply poke a hole; Maize used power tools to drill four vertical shafts and then cut a deliberate opening through the drywall. This required prior preparation, including cutting through the wood that formed the barrier between their apartments and strategically positioning a ladder.
The opening itself, while not expansive, was undeniably sufficient for an adult to pass through. Once inside Golightly’s unit, Maize didn’t steal valuables – he engaged in unsettling acts of mischief.
Items were moved, and disturbingly, lingerie was rearranged within her bedroom drawers. He then secured the apartment door with a hotel-style latch, effectively locking Golightly out upon her return.
When Golightly finally came home on September 5th, she found herself unable to enter her own apartment, blocked by the unfamiliar latch. The Crown prosecutor, Petter Hurich, argued convincingly that Maize was the only logical perpetrator.
Maize, acting as his own counsel, attempted to cast doubt by highlighting the lack of a deadbolt on his own front door, suggesting someone else could have easily entered his apartment. The judge swiftly rejected this claim.
Tolppanen reasoned that even with an unsecured door, the sheer complexity of the operation – the planning, tool acquisition, drywall cutting, ladder placement, and ultimate access to Golightly’s apartment – couldn’t reasonably be attributed to another individual.
Throughout the judge’s detailed recitation of the verdict, Maize remained outwardly impassive, at one point even stifling a yawn. He wore a necklace and crucifix visible against his remand overalls.
A sentencing date will be set Tuesday, and Maize intends to proceed without legal representation. He remains in custody, awaiting his fate.
