A Hamilton Crown prosecutor is suggesting that a desire for millions of dollars in cash was behind a murder that took place in Stoney Creek 3 years ago.

Lucy Li is charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder, along with her husband, Oliver Karafa, in the shooting in Stoney Creek in February 2021.

30-year-old Tyler Pratt was shot and killed while his girlfriend Jordyn Romano was injured.

Li maintains that Karafa told her he shot the two in self-defense.

In court, Li was testifying for the third straight day, with Crown prosecutor Mark Dean saying, “2.8 million dollars cash was what you were really after” in the days leading up to the shooting. Li responded, “Incorrect.”

The court has been told that Li and her husband were working on an insurance policy with Pratt and Romano that could have meant a substantial payoff.

But Li testified, “Tyler is very scary and very aggressive. He scared me. He is a very big man and very scary.”

The Crown prosecutor said, “You’ve been telling us how dangerous you thought it was being around Tyler, his gang connections, his drug dealing.”

He asked, “Given your fear,” why was Pratt “invited to your family home” to talk about the insurance policy?

Dean said, “If any bad guys were after Tyler, you were leading them to your family’s front door, correct?”

Li replied that being with Pratt and Romano in private was “not as high risk as being seen with them in public.”

She agreed with the suggestion that it was “worth the risk” with the potential reward.

But said, “I guess I made a mistake.”

Li has testified that the insurance application was fraudulent and she never intended to go through with it.

It was meant to buy time for Karafa to raise money to pay off a business deal with Pratt.

Referring to various meetings, Dean said, “3 days before the murder of Tyler Pratt and attempted murder of Jordyn Romano, you were part of a plan to kill them, weren’t you?”

Li said, “No, I was not.”

Based on testimony from Jordyn Romano, Dean accused Li of rushing Romano through the insurance policy to “exploit her pregnancy” at the time.

Li said, “What you are saying is ridiculous.”

Dean went on, “It’s hard to image something lower.”

And he said, if what Romano told the court was true, “it’s hard to imagine doing something more despicable to a pregnant woman. Correct? Short of planning and carrying out her murder. Correct?”

Li replied, “Correct.”

Dean said, “You lied to her face? Correct?”

Li replied, “Correct.”