Hamilton man charged in Mob murders released on bail for second time
A Hamilton man facing two first-degree murder charges in connection with the deaths of Hamilton mobster Angelo Musitano and innocent bystander Mila Barberi, has been released on bail once again.
Jabril Abdalla's freedom comes after a second bail review in the complex case. It is also the second time he has been granted bail.
He had just returned to jail last October after having his bail revoked by Ontario's Court of Appeal. He spent seven months out on bail in 2020.
On Friday, Abdalla was ordered released by Superior Court Justice Dale Parayeski under strict conditions after a one-day bail review.
Evidence discussed and reasons for the decision cannot be reported because of a publication ban.
Abdalla is charged in the murders of 39-year-old Musitano, shot in the driveway of his Waterdown home on May 2, 2017, and 28-year-old Barberi, shot in a vehicle in a Vaughan parking lot on March 14, 2017. The target of that shooting, Barberi's then boyfriend Saverio Serrano, survived. Abdalla was also charged with his attempted murder.
Abdalla was arrested Sept. 19, 2018 and remains the only person ever held in custody in the murders. He was not the shooter, but is alleged to have been a party to the offences.
His two co-accused, Michael Cudmore and Daniel Tomassetti, fled to Mexico after the shootings. Cudmore, the alleged gunman, was found dead in a car on the side of the road in Mexico last June. His death was ruled a homicide.
Police have been clear since 2018 that none of the three named were considered major players. The person or people who ordered the hits have never been charged.
The shootings are part of a resurgence of Mob violence locally in recent years.
Angelo's older brother Mob boss Pasquale (Pat) Musitano was killed in shooting in a Burlington parking lot last July. That murder remains unsolved.
The long legal process has been particularly hard on the Barberi family who attend every hearing, who say they find themselves caught up in a world of traditional organized crime they know nothing about. They have described Mila, a veterinary technician, as a young woman who loved her family, nature and animals, and who was too trusting."
The Musitano trial is expected to begin in April 2022. No dates have been set for the Barberi matter.
Nicole O'Reilly is a Hamilton-based reporter covering crime and justice for The Spectator. Reach her via email: noreilly@thespec.com