Shooting victim tells court slain fiance ‘adored’ his accused killer

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HAMILTON — Tyler Pratt “loved” his new pal and business partner Oliver Karafa, Pratt’s fiancee told court on Thursday.

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That love would be unrequited, according to Pratt’s fiancee.

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Four months after the recently transplanted British Columbia native moved to southern Ontario, he would be lying dead in a Stoney Creek industrial area with six bullet holes punched through his muscular body.

His fiancee, Jordyn Romano, was lucky to leave the clandestine meeting alive after being shot three times. Her unborn baby did not.

“I really liked Oliver, he was always so nice and caring,” Romano told a Hamilton court on Thursday. “Tyler loved Oliver, it was a great friendship. He adored him.”

On Thursday, Romano wove a tapestry of scamming, easy money and a bitter betrayal.

Karafa, 29, and his girlfriend, one-time “influencer” Yun Lu “Lucy” Li, are now on trial for first-degree murder and attempted murder in the Feb. 28, 2021, slaying of Pratt and the shooting of Romano.

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Both have pleaded not guilty.

Romano, 29, said she and Pratt — who she said had made oodles of money selling cocaine in B.C. — had relocated to Toronto in September 2020. She was pregnant and she said they were looking to buy a house, settle down and go legit.

“We wanted to start a family and leave that negative stuff behind,” Romano said

In October, she said, they met Karafa through a mutual friend. But because of Pratt’s ill-gotten gains, making the couple’s dreams come true was going to be a lot tougher than planned.

Karafa allegedly had all the answers.

Romano said there were plans for a large-scale scam allegedly orchestrated by Karafa and Li. On one hand, she said, Karafa claimed he had a deal to make boffo bucks on PPE, rubber gloves and anything else he could get his mitts on.

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She also said there were suggestions of a cannabis business, selling insulin to American diabetics and a slew of other endeavours.

She said Pratt had the upfront money to make it happen — it would cost $170,000 to get things going and then the riches would roll in. She said a mutual friend vouched for Karafa and was participating in the action.

The cash flowed through Romano’s account, she said, because Pratt was in the cash-only world of drugs.

Soon, there was a problem. Romano said that Karafa told the couple he couldn’t get the millions out of his European account to pay them because he would be red-flagged and his account suspended.

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“We were expecting millions of dollars in profits. After our initial investment, we put in another $300,000 to get more trucks so the money would come in faster … we wanted to roll the money,” Romano testified, adding that Karafa showed them there was $12 million in his account in Prague.

She said a meeting at Li’s wealthy and well-connected mother’s house opened more possibilities. Romano said it was suggested that she get a life insurance policy as a way to get the illusionary European profits back to Canada. Romano said that Li told them that’s how her mother helped wealthy Chinese people get their money into Canada.

Cross-examination is expected to begin next week.

Romano said she and Pratt were starting to wonder where their money was. On March 1, 2021, she said the pair were to cash a $1.5-million cheque with $1 million courtesy of Li’s mother, who she insisted “was so rich she wouldn’t miss it”.

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In court, Romano read a text from Karafa from when the deals were allegedly wrapped: “Yo, I told my girl for doing us a solid we’d all go on vacation to Italy, like the Amalfi coast. Blow like $100,000 each.”

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Court heard that on Feb. 18, 2021, Romano sent Karafa a birthday card telling him to have an “amazing day.” Romano said she and Pratt also purchased their new friend a diamond necklace.

Romano paused for a few moments on the witness stand, her voice cracking.

“We considered them really good friends … this is really embarrassing,” she said, composing herself.

Assistant Crown attorney Steven Kim asked her what was embarrassing.

“That it was all fake,” she replied.

The trial — expected to last two months — continues Friday. Karafa and Li have pleaded not guilty.

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