Missing girl’s father faces assault charges

The father of missing teen Miriam Makhniashvili is facing charges of assault after a man was stabbed in the stomach outside his apartment door on May 8.

Police arrested Vakhtang Makhniashvili sometime after 7:45 p.m. at 20 Shallmar Blvd.

According to police, a man went to the victim’s apartment and banged on the door. When the victim answered, he was confronted by a neighbour who began yelling and threatening him, police said.

When the accused allegedly pushed his way into the apartment and stabbed the victim, guests in the apartment intervened, and held him for police. The victim is expected to make a full recovery. Three days after the arrest, a resident of the building who didn’t want to be named said ongoing tensions spurred by Miriam’s disappearance may have erupted, leading to a dispute about excessive noise.

Miriam, 18, vanished without a trace on September 14, 2009 and despite an intensive search, she has not been seen or heard from since.

“This family is under so much stress and it’s really horrible that (the neighbours) keep playing their music so loud,” the resident said.

She said the Makhniashvili family, which includes Vakhtang’s wife and teenage son, is very quiet and reserved.

“You can definitely tell … just with their faces, they’re very upset and strained.

“I think (Vakhtang) just got pushed to his limit,” she added. “The family does not seem that type of family at all, to be that violent.”

Police are treating the stabbing incident as a separate criminal investigation from the missing person investigation.

“It doesn’t have an effect on the missing person investigation, nor is it related in any way,” said Detective Dan Nealon May 10. “It’s just a neighbour dispute which escalated into an argument and escalated into violence.”

Miriam Makhniashvili disappeared after walking with her brother to class at Forest Hill Collegiate.

Her brother was reportedly the last person to see her before they parted ways.

“Though the missing person’s case garnered attention here and abroad, leads and tips have dwindled,” said Nealon.

“We remained focused in our own area. There’s nothing else that is driving this investigation outside of the city at this point.”

According to several media reports, on May 10 a judge at Vakhtang’s bail hearing ordered he undergo a psychiatric assessment.

—With files from Karolyn Coorsh