With her voice trembling and tears streaming down her cheeks, the widow of a slain Ancaster man vowed Wednesday to keep her husband’s memory alive and be a beacon of strength for their two-year-old daughter.

In her first remarks since her husband Tim’s death was confirmed Tuesday, Sharlene Bosma delivered a tearful address to describe her agony, to thank the police and public, and to ask for continued support and prayers.

“(Tuesday) was the most horrifying day of my life,” Bosma told reporters at an Ancaster church, where she was joined by family members and Hamilton police officers. “People tell me I have been so strong, and all I know is I have a beautiful two-year-old girl at home who now needs her mommy more than ever, and needs her mommy to hold it together. So, I know that I cannot fall apart, but I am broken because part of me is gone.”

As she moved people to tears, Sharlene Bosma said her 32-year-old husband’s memory will be preserved through their daughter.

“His daughter will grow up knowing how much he loved her and how he would sometimes watch her sleep or chase her through the house to tickle,” Sharlene Bosma said. “She will know how much he was loved by me and his family, his friends and even perfect strangers.”

She asked people to keep the family in their prayers.

"It pains me to do so, but I must ask for your support and prayers for the hours and the weeks, the months and even years that lie ahead for us because this will never really be over for us,” she said.

In her emotional address, Sharlene Bosma thanked everyone who brought awareness to the case, and those who offered food, cards, flowers and prayers in their support of her family.

“We know and take some comfort in that Tim has touched so many people, and any words that I choose will never be able to truly express our gratitude,” she said.

Sharlene Bosma closed her address with a message for her husband: “Tim will always be loved and he will always be remembered, and I love you, Tim.”

Her father, Louis Veenstra, said the family has received so many inquiries and offers of assistance that a trust fund has been set up for his daughter and granddaughter.

Veenstra described it as the “only authorized avenue” for donations.

Donations can be made at any TD Canada Trust location, with these details: branch No. 2047, account No. 6332096. People can also email their inquiries to inmemoryoftimbosma@gmail.com.

'There is a story behind this,' lawyer says

Meanwhile, the defence attorney for a Toronto man charged in Tim Bosma's death says there is an untold story that will eventually prove his client's innocence.

Speaking to a crowd of reporters on the steps of a Hamilton courthouse Wednesday, lawyer Deepak Paradkar offered no explanation for the remark, but said "the real story" will emerge once police arrest additional suspects in the homicide investigation and the court case proceeds to a trial.

“There is a story behind this, which I can’t get into,” Paradkar told reporters after his client, Dellen Millard, appeared in court for the first time on a charge of first-degree murder. “Obviously, it’s more than what it appears to be.”

Even though he maintains his innocence, Millard is choosing to remain silent and not speak to investigators. That is because Millard does not want to say or do anything that may inadvertently land himself in trouble as he faces charges, Paradkar said.

During the brief court appearance, Millard was formally charged with murder in Bosma’s killing, and he said very little before he was remanded into custody.

The 27-year-old man was unshaven and wearing a wrinkled white dress shirt and grey pants, he spoke only to say his name upon request, and he kept his hands clasped in front of him as he listened to the proceedings, which are protected by a publication ban.

Millard, who is also charged with forcible confinement and theft of a vehicle, is scheduled to make his next court appearance June 13.

As Millard sits in protective custody at a Hamilton detention centre, he is “extremely concerned” and distraught about facing charges and spending time in pre-trial custody, Paradkar said.

Paradkar said Millard is doing well mentally, but he is tired and his being unshaven is not the norm.

"I’m sure my client feels extremely remorseful for what’s happened, but we maintain his innocence and we’re going to defend this," Paradkar said.

"He’s really not concerned about the public reaction, he’s more concerned about the situation with respect to Mr. Bosma and also the situation he finds himself in," Paradkar added later.

Based on legal advice, Millard has not had any visitors, his lawyer said.

Paradkar said Millard has never been in jail before and he is anxious to move forward with the case, but a trial may not take place until two years from now.

There has been no decision on whether to apply for bail, Paradkar said, because he is awaiting evidence disclosure from the Crown, a process that may take months. Paradkar has asked for a preliminary hearing to test the Crown's evidence, including the alleged motive.

“That’s the biggest question mark I think anybody would have in this case, is why would this have happened, given (Millard's) financial circumstances?” Paradkar said.

As he spoke to reporters, Paradkar disputed the notion that Millard was hurting financially, saying his client is not in debt and he owns a number of properties that are paid for.

“The police have confirmed that he had sufficient funds to easily purchase this truck had he wished to do so,” Paradkar said.

Paradkar described Millard as humble, intelligent and unassuming.

“He’s not somebody who is cocky or arrogant or one of these rich brat kids," Paradkar said. "I would not describe him like that at all. To the contrary, he takes his wealth and so forth in stride.”

Police still looking for suspects

Meanwhile, the investigation is far from over, as Hamilton police hunt for at least two more suspects.

Bosma was last seen alive the night of May 6, when he left his family’s Ancaster home to go on a test drive in his pickup truck with two men.

The test drive was arranged by phone when Bosma was contacted about a classified ad he posted online.

In a written statement, Kijiji said the ad Bosma posted on its website did not contain personal contact information and it did not receive any replies. That means “the incident did not occur as result of his ad posting on Kijiji,” the website said.

According to police, surveillance video shows a second vehicle, occupied by at least one person, following Bosma and the two men in the truck as it left his home.

Police said they believe Bosma was killed that night, and they confirmed Tuesday that his charred remains were found in the Waterloo region.

Investigators believe Bosma was targeted, but they have not revealed a motive.

Police recovered Bosma's truck at Millard's mother's Kleinburg home, where the truck was found in an enclosed trailer.

Millard's mother was not involved, police said.

In their hunt for clues, officers have been searching a number of locations, including a Cambridge-area farm owned by Millard, and a Millard Air hangar at Region of Waterloo International Airport.

Millard, the CEO of Millard Air, hails from an aviation family. He set a world record at the age of 14 when he became the youngest person to fly a helicopter solo. His grandfather founded a commercial airline bearing the family’s name and his father was also a pilot.

Until the court case is resolved, Millard’s mother, a vice-president of Millard Air, will take over the reins of the company, which provides aircraft repair and storage for airlines at the hangar, Paradkar said.

With files from CP24 reporters Sue Sgambati and Cam Woolley.

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