Parole extended for Saanich, B.C. murderer Derik Lord
The Parole Board of Canada (PBC) has extended parole privileges for Derik Lord, a Saanich, B.C., man who was found guilty of killing a friend's mother and grandmother for promised inheritance money and property.
Lord has been allowed to stay four nights a week at the home of his spouse and son, before returning three nights a week to a halfway house, according to a parole ruling released Jan. 6.
Lord was first granted day parole in 2020, following the murders of Sharon Huenemann and Doris Leatherbarrow in their Tsawwassen, B.C., home in 1990.
The pair were killed after inviting Lord and his friend, David Muir, into their home for food.
PAROLE CONDITIONS
Lord's parole conditions include having no contact with the victims' families, as well as a restriction on travelling to Vancouver Island or the Lower Mainland.
Lord had requested that he be given permission to travel to Chilliwack, B.C., to visit friends of his spouse, however, that request was denied due to concerns from people who have provided victim impact statements related to the brutal killings.
"Victims state that they would be afraid if you were permitted to be so close to their communities and that some of them travel to Chilliwack from time to time and would be afraid and harmed if they ran into you there," reads the parole ruling.
The PBC says Lord's parole is progressing relatively well, with Lord – who identifies as Metis – attending an Indigenous community residential facility, where he participated in a trauma and addictions recovery program.
Elders have also reported that Lord continues to participate in cultural activities and support, according to the PBC.
However, the parole board notes that Lord continues to deny his role in the 1990 killings, adding "complexity" to assessing his risk.
"The murders were gratuitously violent, planned, and carried out in the home and safe haven of the victims who had apparently offered you kindness just moments before you killed them," reads the parole extension ruling. "This weighs heavily in the board's decision."
The board also acknowledges that it's received several letters asking for Lord not to be released.
"Victims have consistently and repeatedly sent letters to the board objecting to any form of release for many reasons, including that they are afraid of you and they feel you are a danger to society."
Lord, now 48, was a teenager at Mount Douglas Secondary School at the time of the 1990 murders.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
RCMP uncovers plot to sell drones and equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.
Cherry blossoms blooming in Canada: Here's what to know
There is a swaying sea of colour in some cities across Canada, and it's a sure sign of spring: cherry blossoms are in bloom.