The man who admitted to police that he killed his mother in 2021 has been found not criminally responsible on account of his mental disorder, and his case will be referred to the Mental Health Review Board.

At a hearing on Wednesday, March 12, Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Power found Ryan Elder not criminally responsible for the December 2021 killing of his mother, Raymonde Elder.

The justice noted that two forensic psychiatrists who took the stand during the trial said Elder was experiencing schizophrenia-driven-psychosis at the time of the murder.

"I have concluded that I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Mr. Elder was actively suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the offence," said Power. "I have concluded that while Ryan Elder retained a capacity to know the nature and quality of his act, he lacked the capacity at the time of the offence to appreciate the moral wrongfulness of the act."

Power found that Raymonde was killed likely between the evening of Dec. 25 and the early morning of Dec. 26 when she was punched, strangled, and stabbed in the living room of her Langford home.

During the 18-day trial, the defence team called forensic psychiatrists Dr. Sam Iskander and Dr. Andrew Kolchak, who explained that Elder was experiencing delusions days before the murder, including thinking his mother was replaced by a look-alike that was trying to kill him, which was based off what he told police after the murder, what he told the psychiatrists, and from texts Raymonde sent in the days before the murder where she seemed concerned for his well-being.

"Ryan was high on something. I think last night he started saying strange stuff again and shouting at me. And he left at midnight, still not home this morning," said Power, quoting texts from Raymonde five days before she was killed.

Power concluded her decision by extending condolences to the dozens of friends and family of Raymonde who were present throughout the trial.

"In the past, you have been unwilling to acknowledge your mental health diagnosis. You are now going to have the opportunity for the rest of your life to have treatment with respect to that disorder. And you are going to have to live with the consequences of what your disorder has resulted in, which is the death of your mother," Power said to Elder at the conclusion of the hearing.

According to the Canadian Criminal Code, a defendant can be found not criminally responsible if they committed a crime while suffering from a mental disorder that rendered the person incapable of appreciating the nature and quality of the act or knowing that it was wrong.