Escort who spent time with accused murderer on night of killing testifies at his trial

WARNING: This story contains graphic sexual content.

A part-time sex worker who spent a short time with Nikolas Ibey in his room the same night he allegedly murdered his new housemate, 22-year-old Savanna Pikuyak, testified at his trial Friday that Ibey was doing drugs, expressed embarrassment that he was unable to get an erection, and that she never saw or heard anyone else in the house.

The woman works full time for the federal public service and cannot be identified due to a court-ordered publication ban.

In September 2022 she had full-time work and was escorting in her spare time, she told the 14-member jury while under questioning by assistant Crown attorney Sonia Beauchamp. She posted an ad for her services on the website LeoList, and Ibey got in touch just after 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 11.

He texted that he was "horny as heck" and "getting high," she testified. They arranged for her to drive to his home at 34C Woodvale Green.

When she arrived, Ibey told her he had just bought the place and was looking for roommates, she told court. The jury heard earlier in the trial that the row house had actually been bought by Ibey's adoptive brother.

No sex occurred

They went straight to Ibey's room in the basement, the woman testified. She saw drugs and alcohol on a dresser, and when Ibey offered her some, she refused.

He told her he might not be able to get an erection because he took too many drugs, she testified. "It happens a lot in my profession, actually," the woman said.

She changed into sexier clothes as they each touched themselves, but after no more than five minutes he said it wouldn't work, that he was "really embarrassed" about it, and that it wasn't her fault.

The woman changed into her regular clothes and left. The last time they communicated was about 1:45 a.m. via text.

She said she didn't see or hear anyone else, never saw blood anywhere, had no trouble understanding Ibey, and that no sexual contact between them occurred.

'Very polite'

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Ewan Lyttle, the woman testified that Ibey snorted cocaine as soon as they entered his room, that he asked her if she could get him any more cocaine, and that he did cocaine again after admitting that it made it difficult to get an erection.

"It seems like in the short time you're together ... Mr. Ibey is more interested in doing drugs than having sex," Lyttle suggested.

"It's possible," the woman replied. "I'm sure if he was able to get erect he'd be more interested."

"But for the first parts of the time you're together, he's either talking about cocaine or doing cocaine, right?" Lyttle asked.

"That's right," she replied.

She also testified that he paid her for the full hour, didn't ask for a refund even though she stayed only 15 minutes, and that he was "very polite" and never made her feel unsafe. 

Ibey is on trial for first-degree murder in the homicide of Pikuyak, who had just moved to Ottawa from Nunavut to attend college in 2022. Pikuyak had moved in with Ibey just four days before her killing, after she responded to an ad he had posted on Facebook Marketplace about a room for rent, the trial heard.

He pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in Superior Court at the outset of his trial, after the Crown rejected his guilty plea to the lesser offence of second-degree murder.

A lengthy search for sex

Earlier in the trial, the jury heard that Ibey was on his phone communicating with 30 sex workers the night of the killing — sometimes carrying on multiple conversations at once.

His search continued from 7 p.m. on Sept. 10 to 3:08 a.m. on Sept. 11.

Ibey visited 160 distinct sites 800 times, and carried on 53 conversations with 965 messages being exchanged in total, Ottawa police crime intelligence analyst Alyson Yaraskovitch testified on Friday.

Just before 10 a.m. on Sept 11, he texted his father that he was in "big, big trouble," that he'd gotten into booze and drugs, "killed my roommate," and that he was going to turn himself in.

Before sending that text, Ibey searched online for information, websites and articles about Ottawa's jail; sentences for murder; the difference between first-degree murder, second-degree murder and manslaughter; manslaughter charges in Canada; a youth detention centre in Ottawa; the Kingston Penitentiary and more, Yaraskovitch testified.

Pikuyak was found naked on her bed, gagged with a sweater and bloodied from multiple gashes on her head. She had also suffered defensive wounds.

Police found blood at the entrance to Pikuyak's door and a bloodied piece of wood on the floor. 

The trial continues.