Velibor Rajic
Velibor was a 37 year old Yugoslavian immigrant, who arrived in Canada in 1948 following a stay in a displaced person’s camp in Italy. A year later, Velibor arrived in Woodstock where he worked a variety of jobs, including a farm hand and a labourer in a veneer and woodworking plant. While staying at the Oxford Hotel he met and became friends with Florence and Ernest (Red) Boyd, eventually moving into their home on Perry Street as a tenant.
On June 10, 1954, following an afternoon of drinking, Velibor and Florence got into an argument, which led to Velibor stabbing her to death. Sadly, her two year old son was with her in the kitchen at the time and her two other sons were playing just outside. Luckily, her daughter was not home at the time and did not witness the gruesome scene.
During the four day trial Rajic’s defense attorneys attempted to bring forth psychiatric evidence that he suffered from a mental lapse. He even took the stand in his own defense claiming he would not have killed her “for a million dollars” and claimed he did not recall attacking her. However, the eleven man and one woman jury found him guilty and sentenced him to death on November 16, 1954 at 12:11 a.m. He was the last person to be executed at the Oxford County Gaol.
