Re: Dazel Decosta Henry
ORB File No: 8473
Hearing held on: Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Place of hearing: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Mr. M.D. Segal
Members: Dr. T. Verny Dr. S. Wiseman Ms. A. Israel Mr. A. Mete
Parties Appearing:
Accused: Dazel Decosta Henry Counsel: Mr. A. Ostroff
The person in charge of hospital: Counsel: Ms. J. Meaney
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Ms. R. Weinberg
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated June 2, 2026)
Introduction
Dazel Decosta Henry, age 29, was on November 24, 2023, found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder on the charge of second-degree murder, contrary to the Criminal Code.
Mr. Henry, who is on a detention order with privileges up to and including privileges to enter into the community of Toronto accompanied by staff, appeared before the Ontario Review Board (the “Board”) on April 22, 2026, for his annual hearing at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (the “hospital”).
In preliminary positions, the hospital, supported by the patient, recommended that the current Disposition remain in place but that community living within the GTA be added. If that privilege was granted, reporting not less than once a week was appropriate. Crown counsel was opposed to a community living privilege.
Exhibit 1 was a Hospital Report dated March 23, 2026. The Board also had before it a Victim Impact Statement as Exhibit 2.
Index Offence
- The details of the index offence, which took place on August 24, 2019, are set out in last year’s Reasons for Disposition, as follows:
“According to his cell phone activity, Mr. Henry went from York University area to Vaughan and then in the region of Oakville Place Mall. At 3:49 pm, he exited the vehicle at Gairloch Gardens in Oakville. Mr. Henry left Gairloch Gardens at 4:22 pm and drove to Oakville to the intersection at Allan and Church Street. He parked on Allan Street, left the running vehicle, and retrieved something from the interior of the vehicle. He walked across Church Street on a trajectory that would intercept Mr. Ferrari, who was outside at the time. His hoodie was pulled over his head, and he was wearing the gloves and had a knife. There was no argument, and Mr. Henry thrust the knife into Mr. Ferrari’s chest. Mr. Ferrari collapsed against the bushes. Mr. Henry ran to the vehicle and threw the knife onto the passenger seat and drove away – all within 69 seconds of exiting the car.”
Diagnoses
- Unspecified Schizophrenia Spectrum and other Psychotic Disorder;
Substance Use Disorder, in sustained remission in controlled environment;
Substance-Induced Psychotic Disorder;
Query Antisocial Personality Disorder.
Background
The evidence at the hearing included the Hospital Report dated March 23, 2026, exhibit 1, and the testimony of Dr. Kravtsenyuk. Mr. Henry’s background is set out in the Hospital Report. Briefly summarized, he is presently 33 years of age. He moved to Canada from United States as a child. His mother was deported to United States when he was 12 years of age and there were possible issues of violence and her suffering from schizophrenia. His father remarried. The patient has a brother who is five years older. It is reported by Mr. Henry’s stepmother that he suffered OCD from the age of 10. He had a history of being in fights as a youth, carrying a knife since the age of 14 and being associated with a gang, the Crips, until age 20 or 21.
It is reported cannabis use as a teenager resulted in Mr. Henry becoming more paranoid and he continued his cannabis and alcohol use after he became homeless in 2018 and showed signs of paranoia. When incarcerated in 2019, he presented with psychotic symptoms and was admitted to the Waypoint Centre. He reported that his cannabis consumption was up to 1/4 ounce daily. He engaged in the use of magic mushrooms (psilocybin) that caused him to have delusions, and he has reported that his alcohol consumption was up to 6 to 20 beers of day or a “mickey” or large bottle of hard liquor. He has indicated that he used drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism for his anger and paranoia.
Mr. Henry was subject to criminal charges in 2018 and 2019 for offences including assault with a weapon and aggravated assault. He was involved in an August 2019 offence involving stabbing of a person with a box cutter near a children's playground and hitting a taxi driver with a gas can. Once released on bail on these charges he stabbed his stepmother when she was driving him to his father. The results of these proceedings are unknown.
Mr. Henry was homeless prior to the index offence.
Evidence at Hearing
Dr. D. Jaiswal, the patient’s psychiatrist since he was transferred to a general unit in February 2026, testified.
Dr. Jaiswal informed the Board that Mr. Henry has participated in a substance relapse group since April. On April 13, Mr. Henry began receiving a long -acting injection.
In the past year there have been no episodes of aggression or hostility. Mr. Henry has been adherent to treatment. He has level 6 privileges. There has been no misuse of passes and no substance use. Mr. Henry participates in a peer wellness and recovery program and has been attending a variety of therapeutic groups.
Mr. Henry’s family is supportive and visits him.
One concern is that Mr. Henry spends a lot of time in his room. His social worker is attempting to address that issue. Mr. Henry says he is doing that to avoid “bad stuff.” Dr. Jaiswal has not had a chance to discuss the withdrawal issue with the patient. Mr. Henry is cooperative with treatment. The fact that Mr. Henry agreed with the treatment advice about starting on an LAL is positive.
Mr. Henry’s psychopathy score is 29 on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised, a high score.
He is being considered for the concurrent disorders program. Mr. Henry benefits from structure and external controls.
The doctor could not advise on when an opening in the program may occur.
The Hospital Report is in error when it says that the index offence occurred in Toronto. It happened in Oakville.
Speed of decompensation in Mr. Henry’s case is a concern. It is possible he can decompensate even if compliant. There is no current evidence of psychosis.
The hospital is at early stages of examining community housing options. If living in the community Mr. Henry would require supervised housing. Mr. Henry is a poor historian. The hospital is intent on securing more historical information.
In final submissions Crown counsel ultimately agreed with indirect supervised passes but not with community living.
Analysis
Mr. Henry committed a very serious index offence. Since being admitted to hospital he has made some marked progress. He is attending therapeutic programs. There have been no noteworthy incidents. There have been no incidents of aggression, hostility or violence. He is cooperating with his treatment team. Last month he agreed on the team's advice to start a long -acting injection. The first dose was administered April 13. In February 2026, he was transferred to a general unit.
In part, because of the severity of the index offence and his history, the current Disposition is restrictive regarding privileges. Now the hospital seeks to include a community living privilege. If released into the community, it is understood that high support would be necessary in relation to a residence. It is not that Mr. Henry would be soon living in a community. The inclusion of the privilege would permit planning and testing for a placement such as adequacy in relation to activities of daily living and assessment of Mr. Henry’s independent living skills. Adding such a privilege would be motivational. Before consideration for community living, Mr. Henry would have to continue working up his privilege ladder.
Given the positive trajectory so far, the Board is satisfied that the addition of a community living privilege in supportive housing adequately protects the safety of the public and respects Mr. Henry’s needs. As is customary when such a privilege is provided, indirectly supervised privileges in the community are also granted. Mr. Henry can work his way up the privilege ladder in a careful cautious approved manner. We wish Mr. Henry well in the upcoming year.
DATED this 2nd day of June, 2026, at the City of Toronto, in the Region of Toronto.
Mr. M.D. Segal
Alternate Chairperson
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Office of the Registrar
Ontario Review Board