Calgary woman killed by ex was stabbed 40 times, shot twice, police reveal

A 22-year-old woman who died last month atthe hands of her ex-boyfriend was stabbed 40 times and had her throat slit before being shot twice as she tried to escape her attacker, police say.

Nadia El-Dib's body was found behind a home in northeast Calgary on March 25. Her killer,Abderrahmane Bettahar, 21, diedfour days later in a shootout with RCMP officers near Edmonton.

Because there will be no trial and the case is considered closed, Calgary police released details of El-Dib's last moments Wednesday at the request of her family.

Police say they believe Bettaharand El-Dib left a downtown shishabar togetherat around 3 a.m. on March 25.Despite having dated in late 2017, the two weren't in a relationship at the time, police say.

Around 4 a.m., El-Dib contacted a friend to tell them Bettahar was refusing to take her back to her car.

Police say that fifteen minutes later,he parked behind a house in the 1000 block of Maitland Drive N.E., where Bettaharrepeatedly stabbed El-Dib.

El-Dib managed to escape the vehicle, despite her injuries.

Bettaharfollowed and shot her twice with a semi-automatic rifle that police say he purchased legally two weeks before the attack.

Slain Calgary woman Nadia El-Dib remembered by loved ones

6 years ago

Duration 0:40

Mourners attend Nadia El-Dib's funeral.

Evidence showed El-Dib was on the ground when Bettahar fired the second shot.

El-Dib's body wasn't found until 9:30 a.m., despite several witnesses reporting hearing gunshots.

Her sister, RachaEl-Dib, called Bettahar"a disturbed young man, who believed he had the right to murder her because she exercised her right of taking ownership of her life, body and soul, by saying no to a man who was persistent on being with her."

"My sister Nadia made it clear she would not give herself to him in any way," she said. "We know that because she fought until her last breath to get away."

Considered domestic violence

Despite the fact the two weren't dating at the time, police consider it a case of domestic violence, said Staff Sgt. Paul Wozney of the domestic conflict unit.

CPS responded to 18,528 domestic violence calls in 2017, a number Wozney called alarming.

"Eighteen thousanda year, if you do the math, on a daily basis.Those numbers ... are what I would call significant and alarming," he said.

"A good, good portion of those come from neighbours calling. Someone is out walking a dog, and they hear a glass breaking, an argument going on through a kitchen window, and they call police.

"We need to get everybody engaged. This is a community problem;this isn't just one household on a street. This actually is a community problem, and we need to be engaged as a community to help address it."

Police encourage anyone experiencing abuse or violence in a relationship to reach out for help.

The Connect Family and SexualAbuse Network can be reached at 403-237-5888 or toll free at 1-877-237-5888

The 24-Hour Family Violence Helpline is available at 403-234-7233, or you can call 211.

In Calgary, the Distress Centre is available 24-hours a day at 403-266-4357.

If you are in immediate danger, dial 911.

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