The sister of Nadia El-Dib, murdered by an ex-boyfriend last month, says she will use her sister’s name, voice and story to raise awareness of domestic violence.

Racha El-Dib said her 22-year-old sister “went down fighting” in the early morning hours of March 25 when she was killed by Adam Bettahar, who was later shot dead by Mounties west of Edmonton.

Racha said

“She was a strong young woman who fought and refused a man and that decision alone resulted in her death,” Racha said in a press conference on Wednesday.

“My sister Nadia made it clear that she would not give herself to him in any way, we know that because she fought until her last breath to get away from Abderrahmane “Adam” Bettahar.”

Police believe the two had been seeing each other in late 2017 but were not in a relationship at the time of the murder. Police had no prior involvement with the couple and the murder has been labeled a domestic homicide.

At the request of her family, Calgary police released details about Nadia’s grisly murder at the hands of Bettahar.

After a night at a downtown shisha bar, police say Nadia left with Bettahar around 3 a.m. Refusing to return El-Dib to her vehicle, Bettahar took her behind a home in the 1000 block of Maitland Drive N.E. just after 4 a.m.

That’s when police say Bettahar stabbed Nadia approximately 40 times and cut her throat while the two were in Bettahar’s vehicle. Nadia was able to escape the vehicle, but police say Bettahar then shot her twice with a high-powered rifle.

Even though police say neighbours later reported hearing gun shots on the morning Nadia was killed, no one called police and her body wasn’t found until 9:30 a.m.

The night she was killed, police say Nadia called a friend expressing frustration that Bettahar wouldn’t bring her to her vehicle, which was parked near the shisha bar.

Video and forensic evidence collected during the investigation showed two muzzle flashes from shots that were fired, the second when El-Dib was on the ground.

Staff Sgt. Paul Wozney said Calgary police received over 18,500 domestic conflict calls last year, and urged anyone suffering from domestic violence — or anyone who believes a family member is being abused — to contact police.

Bettahar, was shot and killed on March 29 after leading members of the RCMP on a pursuit along a stretch of Highway 16 west of Edmonton.

The confrontation left the RCMP officer, confirmed by Postmedia sources as Sgt. Brian Topham, with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police say Bettahar legally purchased a semi-automatic rifle on March 10.

This was Calgary’s second homicide of the year.

Source: Calgary Herald