Lucy Li returns to Canada to face Hamilton murder charge

International fugitive Yun (Lucy) Lu Li has returned to Canada to face charges in connection with a double shooting in Hamilton after waiving extradition in Hungary.

The 25-year-old Toronto woman and her boyfriend, 29-year-old Oliver Karafa, were captured in Budapest June 12 after months on the run from police.

Hamilton police Det. Sgt. Jim Callender, of the major crime unit, said he and another Hamilton police officer flew to Hungary to retrieve her. They took custody of Li at the airport and after a stopover in Germany, arrived back in Canada around 1 p.m. July 13. They flew on a commercial airline.

Li faces charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder in connection with the Feb. 28 shooting behind a closed Arvin Avenue business in Stoney Creek.

The shooting killed 39-year-old Tyler Pratt and seriously hurt his 26-year-old girlfriend. She was pregnant at the time and the shooting led to the loss of the pregnancy.

Li immediately waived extradition after her arrest. However, the process to bring her home involved a significant amount of paperwork between Canadian and Hungarian authorities. Once approved, Hamilton police had 30 days to get her.

She briefly appeared in court virtually in Hamilton on Tuesday and remains in custody.

Karafa, who is also a citizen of neighbouring Slovakia, is fighting extradition and remains in custody in Hungary.

Police allege Li and Karafa flew to the Czech Republic hours after the shooting and remained in hiding in eastern Europe for more than three months. Hamilton police worked through the RCMP and Interpol with international policing partners to track their movements.

It's gratifying to see it come to this stage," Callender said of having Li back in custody in Canada.

Throughout the investigation, he has maintained confidence they would find the couple and bring them to justice.

Police had the opportunity to talk to Li, he said, but would not disclose whether she has provided any information.

The drive now to bring Oliver home is paramount," Callender said.

Callender said Karafa's extradition hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

A court decision is expected to be relatively quick. However, if the court orders Karafa to be extradited, he could appeal. It's unclear how long that process could take.

The extradition agreements between Hungary and Canada say a person can only be extradited if the crime they face is also a crime in the other country, the person faces a significant sentence and there is no risk of execution or human rights violations. There is no question a first-degree murder charge qualifies.

According to the Metropolitan Court in Budapest, which released a statement after the pair appeared in court last month, Karafa is the alleged shooter.

Pratt was an entrepreneur from British Columbia who was looking to set up business in Ontario. He was in the process of moving to the Greater Toronto Area, not Hamilton, at the time of the shooting.

Karafa was also involved in businesses here and Europe. He dissolved his part-ownership in a medical supply business in Prague, Czech Republic, on March 4, the same day Hamilton police announced they were wanted for murder.

The two couples met that Sunday evening for a business deal, but it remains unclear what led to the shooting.

Callender said he won't comment on evidence while the case is before the courts.

The 26-year-old victim managed to walk to the front where passersby stopped and called for help. Pratt was later found at the back of the building.

The vehicles of both the victims and the accused were driven away from the scene after the shooting. A white Land Rover, seen fleeing the scene, was later recovered in the GTA. Another car was found somewhere in Hamilton, not at the crime scene.

In 2014, Karafa was sentenced to just under five years in prison for impaired driving causing death and criminal negligence causing death in a drunk driving crash in Toronto that killed his friend and trainer David Chiang.

According to his parole board documents, Karafa and his family immigrated to Canada in 2001. His parents had returned to Slovakia by the time Karafa was released on full parole in 2017.

Li is a triplet with a vast social media presence. She is the daughter of a prominent Chinese-Canadian businessperson.

After the shooting, Li's family issued a statement to Chinese media calling on Li to co-operate with authorities.

Nicole O'Reilly is a Hamilton-based reporter covering crime and justice for The Spectator. Reach her via email: noreilly@thespec.com