Robert Baltovich

Robert Baltovich (born July 17, 1965) is a Canadian man who was wrongly convicted in 1992 of the murder of his girlfriend, Elizabeth Bain, in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. He spent eight years in prison and nearly another decade trying to clear his name, before being found not guilty in a retrial on April 22, 2008.

In 1990 Baltovich graduated with a degree in psychology and history from the University of Toronto at Scarborough. There he met fellow student Elizabeth Bain and a relationship developed. Bain disappeared on June 19, 1990 after telling her mother she was going to "check the tennis schedule" on campus. On June 22 her car was found with a large bloodstain in the back seat. Her body was never found.

On November 19, 1990, Baltovich was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. His case continued in the courts for several years, during which he consistently maintained his innocence. His lawyers suggested that the so-called "Scarborough rapist" (the term used for the then unidentified serial killer Paul Bernardo) might be responsible for the murder.

On March 31, 1992, Baltovich was convicted of second-degree murder. His lawyers appealed and on March 31, 2000, Baltovich was released on bail, pending the outcome of his appeal. In September 2004 his appeal was finally processed; once more his case gained national attention when his lawyers alleged that he had been wrongfully convicted and that Bernardo was guilty of Bain's murder. They pointed to circumstantial evidence suggesting links to Bernardo, evidence not available during Baltovich's original trial because Bernardo's identity as the "Scarborough rapist" was then unknown. Asked about the matter, Bernardo denied involvement in Bain's disappearance.

On December 2, 2004, the Court of Appeal for Ontario set aside the conviction, delivering what news reports called "a scathing attack" on the conduct of the original trial judge. This fell short of the acquittal that Baltovich's counsel had argued for. On July 15, 2005, Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney-General announced that Baltovich would face a new trial on charges of second-degree murder, at an unspecified date, and remain free on bail in the meantime. During that time, Baltovich worked as a librarian for the Government of Ontario.

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