An Australian court has found Danny Zayat guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend, Tatiana Dokhotaru, a Canadian woman originally from British Columbia. The jury reached the verdict after nearly four days of deliberation. The relationship between the two was described as volatile and dysfunctional, with evidence of years of abuse and threats against Dokhotaru.

The incident occurred in May 2023 at Dokhotaru's apartment in Sydney. On the night of her death, she made an emergency call to authorities, stating, "Yes, hi. My ex-boyfriend’s here and he’s trying to kill me… My ex-husband’s stealing my money from the house… he’s bashing me." The call abruptly ended, and her phone was later found thrown off the balcony.

Zayat, 31, left the apartment and returned the following morning, at which point he called the police. He left their toddler son alone with Dokhotaru's body. The child was the only witness to testify in the case, stating, "Daddy was angry. Daddy was angry," and recalling that he could not wake his mother up.

During the trial, Zayat admitted to disagreements and arguments but denied murdering Dokhotaru. He also rejected claims that he had been physically violent or verbally abusive throughout their relationship. A pathologist testified that Dokhotaru died from blunt force trauma to the head, with prosecutors suggesting that the injuries resulted from multiple blows and a fall. They also alleged that Zayat had robbed Dokhotaru.

The jury sought clarification on the difference between murder and manslaughter before ultimately returning an 11-1 verdict for murder. Zayat showed no visible reaction when the verdict was announced but later sat with his head in his hands.

The defense argued that Dokhotaru was depressed and had been taking sleeping pills, suggesting she may have been suicidal. However, evidence presented included messages from Dokhotaru to friends detailing disturbing incidents of abuse, including being dragged by her hair and showing bruises around her neck.

The prosecution emphasized that despite the abuse, Dokhotaru had feelings for Zayat until her death, stating, "It’s important you don’t think there’s some expected way for a person to behave in her situation."

Following the verdict, Zayat maintained his innocence and is considering an appeal. He is scheduled to be sentenced in December. Dokhotaru's friend, Amber Haleta, expressed relief at the verdict but noted the lasting impact of the tragedy, saying, "We’re finally able to breathe a little bit, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that this beautiful, smart, loving mother… is not here anymore."