A man convicted of first-degree murder in connection with a brazen shooting on a crowded restaurant patio in Little Italy more than a decade ago has escaped from prison in British Columbia.
Rabih (Robby) Alkhalil, 35, was one of four men convicted in the June 18, 2012 murder of Johnny Raposo at the Sicilian Sidewalk Café on College Street.
Raposo was shot four times in the head at point-blank range by a man dressed as a construction worker, as soccer fans gathered on the patio to watch a Euro Cup game.
It was later revealed in court that the shooter, Dean Wiwchar, was a paid hitman who was hired by the three other accused parties – Alkhalil, Nicola Nero and Martino Caputo – to carry out the killing as part of a feud with roots in the criminal underworld.
Alkhalil was the last of the four suspects arrested in the killing and had to be extradited from Greece.
All four men were ultimately sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years in 2017.
Alkhalil was then charged in 2018 in connection with the killing of two mobsters in British Columbia. He had been awaiting trial in Port Coquitlam on those charges prior to his escape.
RCMP in British Columbia say that they believe Alkhalil left the North Fraser Pre-Trial Center in a White Econoline van with “two others who were posing or employed as contractors” on Thursday night.
It is not clear where he went next.
“Alkhalil is considered dangerous, so if you see Alkhalil, police ask that you not approach him and instead call 911 immediately,” an RCMP news release states.
The RCMP say that Alkhalil was last seen wearing a black jump suit and a high visibility vest.
