Ibrahim Ali, accused in Marrisa Shen killing, makes brief 1st court appearance

The man accused of killing a 13-year-old girl in Burnaby, B.C., made a brieffirst court appearance Friday morning.

Ibrahim Ali, 28, has been charged with the first-degree murder of Marrisa Shen.

The teen went missing on July 18, 2017. Her body was found inBurnaby's Central Park later that night and her killing was ruled a random attack.

Ali only appeared for a few minutesat provincial court in Vancouver before the case was put over until Oct. 12. He stood silent, listening to an interpreter with his hands clasped behind his back.

Shen's older brother sat in the front row of the crowded courtroom.

More than a dozen people gatheredalong the sidewalk outside the buildingto support Shen's loved ones. Mostwore a white rose in the teen's memory.

New evidence led tobreak in case

Shen's death promptedwhat would become the largest investigation to date for the B.C.RCMP'sIntegrated Homicide Investigation Team.

IHIT conducted more than 600 interviews, combed through more than 1,000 hours of video footage and ruled out more than 2,000 persons of interest in relation to the case.

Police said new evidence led them to Alitwo weeks before his arrest on Sept. 7.Officials have said little more aboutthe information that led them to the suspect.

Investigators said Ali isa Syrian national who entered Canada17 months ago three months before Shen's death.

Ali, now a permanent resident, is said to have no previous criminal history.

Shen's family issued a statement thanking police, the public and the mediaafter the arrest was announced.

"We hope that justice will finally be served and Marrisa will finally be at peace in heaven," it read.

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