UMVA has learned that a Toronto woman once deemed not criminally responsible for a 2015 stabbing has been granted an absolute discharge, ending all judicial supervision.
The Ontario Review Board concluded she no longer poses a significant threat to public safety, clearing the path for her to live independently.
In December 2015, Rohinie Bisesar, then 40, entered a Shoppers Drug Mart in the city’s financial district and thrust a kitchen knife into the chest of 28‑year‑old Rosemarie Junor, who was browsing nail polish. The single wound pierced Junor’s heart, and she died days later.
Security footage captured Bisesar’s movements, leading to her arrest four days after the attack. She spent three years in custody before standing trial, where a jury and the Crown agreed she was not criminally responsible due to a severe mental disorder.
Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Bisesar described hearing a commanding “entity” that urged her to commit the violence. She purchased the knife at a discount store, felt compelled to act while waiting on a bench in the underground PATH system, and then carried out the fatal stab before fleeing the scene.
The tragedy followed a year of escalating instability: threats of arson against her parents, paranoid delusions, job loss, and a breakup. Despite these warning signs, she remained a regular presence in downtown cafés, working on a laptop while her mind unraveled.
After the verdict, Bisesar was confined to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) for secure treatment. Over the next several years, intensive therapy and strict medication adherence brought her condition into sustained remission.
In May 2023, a conditional discharge allowed her to rejoin the community, supported by the Ontario Disability Support Program. She now resides in independent housing, volunteers, pursues further education, and dreams of becoming a chartered financial analyst.
During her latest review hearing on April 23, a CAMH report highlighted her commitment to treatment, a letter expressing professional ambitions, and three glowing references. The board, persuaded by her incident‑free record since October 2021, issued an absolute discharge, declaring her no longer a public safety risk.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that this decision marks a dramatic turnaround for a case that once shocked the city, illustrating how sustained mental health care and personal resolve can reshape a life once defined by tragedy.
