Calgary

Man accused of murdering best friend and father searched 'I have lost a reason to live' days before killing

In the days before he is accused of murdering his best friend and his friend's father, Anandaloj Srianandan typed into Google: "I have lost a reason to live."

Chandrababu Thambu, 56, and his 25-year-old son, Preijanthan Chandrababu, were fatally stabbed in 2017

A father and son were fatally stabbed in their northwest home in July 2017, and the son's friend was accused of the murder. On Friday, Anandaloj Srianandan was acquitted on two counts of second-degree murder. (Kate Adach/CBC)

In the days before he is accused of murdering his best friend and his friend's father, Anandaloj Srianandan Googled: "I have lost a reason to live."

Srianandan, 29, is on trial on two counts of second-degree murder, accused of fatally stabbing his friend Preijanthan Chandrababu, 25, and his father Chandrababu Thambu, 56, in the early morning hours of July 10, 2017.

On Monday, prosecutor Blair Brandon outlined the evidence expected to be presented by the Crown at Srianandan's trial.

The night before the killings, Srianandan attended a party in Airdrie with four members of the victims' family;  Chandrababu, his twin brother and his parents.

At the party, Srianandan and his friend got into an argument, according to the Crown's opening statement.

The five returned to the family's home just after midnight and everyone went to bed except for Srianandan and Chandrababu. 

Brandon said the evidence will show that in the early morning hours, Chandrababu's mother woke up, looked downstairs and saw Srianandan holding knives. Her son came upstairs and said Srianandan was "acting strangely."

Thambu's wife called 911 while he and his son went downstairs to investigate.

By then, Chandrababu was lying at the bottom of the stairs, suffering 18 knife wounds, including one to his chest which had exposed his lung and another which had damaged his heart. Srianandan was on top of him, according to the prosecution.

Srianandan also hospitalized

Brandon says he expects Chandrababu's twin to testify that he threw Srianandan off his brother and tried to save him.

Thambu suffered several stab wounds, including one which caused his intestines to burst from his abdomen and created significant internal bleeding.

Police seized several knives from the victims' home.

Srianandan was also injured and taken to hospital. He had one stab wound to his chest and several on his thighs.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Earl Wilson is presiding over the two-week trial. 

Defence lawyer Pat Fagan is representing the accused.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meghan Grant

CBC Calgary crime reporter

Meghan Grant is a justice affairs reporter. She has been covering courts, crime and stories of police accountability in southern Alberta for more than a decade. Send Meghan a story tip at meghan.grant@cbc.ca.