Jordyn Romano was also supposed to die that day'

Shooting survivor faces boyfriend's accused killers in court

- NICOLE O'REILLY

By the time the trial against Oliver Karafa and Yun Lu (Lucy) Li began this April, more than three years had passed since the fatal shooting at an industrial property in east Hamilton.

For Tyler Pratt’s family, the wait had been agonizing. Not only because they wanted justice for “Ty” after he was shot dead, but also because they felt forced to remain silent, not wanting to jeopardize the trial. They held back even as Pratt was labelled a dangerous criminal and he could not defend himself.

Pratt’s girlfriend, Jordyn Romano, survived being shot in the heart when the couple were ambushed behind 347 Arvin Ave. in Stoney Creek on Feb. 28, 2021. She was 13 weeks pregnant and lost her unborn child when she was shot.

She had been planning a new life with Pratt. Instead, she woke from a coma to find her world upended. The trial meant she would have to face the people responsible for so much loss.

“Not long after arriving at this property, Tyler Pratt was murdered. He was shot six times,” assistant Crown attorney Steve Kim said during his opening address to the jury on April 9. “Jordyn Romano was also supposed to die that day.”

Witnesses in the trial were not allowed in the courtroom when they weren’t testifying. Romano, the most important witness for the prosecution, did not get to watch until the end.

Instead, family and friends created a schedule so someone was always there representing Romano. Pratt’s family in British Columbia watched over Zoom.

The trial heard from more than 20 witnesses who wove together a complex story of friendship, money and betrayal.

The accused

As Kim and fellow assistant Crown attorney Mark Dean laid out their case, the defence case became increasingly clear by the questions they asked.