A judge is hearing testimony in the second-degree murder trial of Michael George Ferzli, accused of killing Joseph Farnsworth during an Aug. 27, 2024 stabbing at the Edmonton Corn Maze. In court, Ferzli’s testimony and the prosecution’s framing focus on the circumstances leading up to the attack, including the relationship between the two men.
According to the Edmonton Journal, Ferzli testifies that Farnsworth was an avowed Nazi who tried to recruit him to join a gang shortly before the stabbing. Global News reports that Ferzli is also raising a mental-health defence, arguing he should be found not criminally responsible due to schizophrenia, and he describes his actions as being done in accordance with “God’s will.”
Across the sources, there is agreement that the killing occurred at the corn maze on Aug. 27, 2024, and that Ferzli is on trial for murder. The differing angles centre on who initiated any alleged recruitment tied to extremist beliefs and on the accused’s explanation for his conduct, including his claim of schizophrenia and the asserted religious motivation.
