A man convicted of killing a 91原创 woman nearly 22 years ago has been granted day parole.
Wayne Alexander Perkin was convicted of second-degree murder the 1992 murder of 24-year-old Angela Richards.
Richards, a graduate of New Westminster Secondary School and a Miss New Westminster contestant, had moved to 91原创 to train to become a helicopter pilot. She was murdered in her 91原创 apartment on June 13, 1992.
About 10 of Richards芒鈧劉 family members and high school friends attended the June 5 parole hearing at William Head Institution on Vancouver Island.
芒鈧揂bsolutely devastating,芒鈧� Richards芒鈧劉 longtime friend Ben Doyle said of the decision. 芒鈧揑 feel like I have just been coming out of a 22-year coma of sorts and now he seeks his freedom and gets it. I just can芒鈧劉t believe it. This is a guy who murdered while on parole. I am pretty sure most people don芒鈧劉t understand why he can get out.芒鈧�
After a three-and-a-half hour hearing, the two members of the parole board supported Perkin芒鈧劉s application for day parole. Day parole means he芒鈧劉s out during the day and stays at a halfway house at night, and faces restrictions such as no alcohol, no drugs and no sex with females under 18 years of age.
芒鈧揟hey are satisfied that he is a manageable risk,芒鈧� Doyle said. 芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s insane to me. He still denies killing Angie and he minimizes all the other crimes, all the things he has been convicted of. It芒鈧劉s unbelievable. I really believed they were going to deny his application, but they didn芒鈧劉t. I was floored.芒鈧�
Corinne Schaefer, Richards芒鈧劉 sister, said evidence was presented at the hearing that suggested Perkin did well on the second of two unescorted temporary absences and has job opportunities when he leaves prison. While incarcerated, she said he芒鈧劉s also had more than 300 temporary escorted absences to attend meetings and appointments.
芒鈧揑 wouldn芒鈧劉t have thought in a thousand years he would get off,芒鈧� she told The Royal City Record after the hearing. 芒鈧揑 am amazed. He is still a moderate risk to re-offend 芒鈧�� not a small risk 芒鈧�� as a sexual, violent predator of women.芒鈧�
Schaefer said it芒鈧劉s 芒鈧搒hameful芒鈧� that her sister芒鈧劉s family and friends even have to attend parole hearings, given his history.
芒鈧揟he fact that he murdered while on parole and we have to fight to keep him in is so stupid. We shouldn芒鈧劉t have to,芒鈧� she said. 芒鈧揧ou know what? It doesn芒鈧劉t matter how much we cried our hearts out and say he shouldn芒鈧劉t 芒鈧�� it doesn芒鈧劉t make a difference, from their point of view, which is risk factors involved. And even though he is still a 芒鈧渕oderate芒鈧劉 risk, they芒鈧劉re letting him out.芒鈧�
When convicted, the Supreme Court judge ruled that Perkin wouldn芒鈧劉t be eligible to apply for parole for 18 years, based on the nature of the 芒鈧揵rutal芒鈧� killing and the public芒鈧劉s safety. The Crown芒鈧劉s case was based on the theory that
Perkin, an experienced kick boxer who lived across the hall for Richards, struck her in the head and repeatedly stabbed her.
At the time of Richards芒鈧劉 murder, Perkin was on parole for aggravated sexual assault and unlawful confinement. A manager of a townhouse complex at the time of that crime, he was found guilty of luring a woman to a shed where he bound and gagged her, sexually assaulted her and hit her over the head with a ball peen hammer.
Richards芒鈧劉 family and friends disagree with the parole board芒鈧劉s view that Perkin is a 芒鈧搈anageable risk芒鈧� in the community.
芒鈧揂bsolutely not. I fear for people living in his vicinity,芒鈧� Doyle said. 芒鈧揌ere is the reason: if he won芒鈧劉t even come to terms with what he has done, he is totally out of touch with his own risk factors.芒鈧�
Following the hearing, Schaefer called her mom and let her know that Richards芒鈧劉 killer had been granted day parole.
芒鈧揥e cried a bit. She did say she knew in her heart from watching all the different news stories about people who did get out, she sort of knew in her heart. It芒鈧劉s really hard. It芒鈧劉s just so hard for us,芒鈧� she cried. 芒鈧揑 hope he doesn芒鈧劉t hurt anyone else. That would be nice for us if he actually has rehabilitated himself. That would be wonderful to know he is a success story 芒鈧�� you can murder and still rehabilitate yourself.芒鈧�
On the same evening that they learned Richards芒鈧劉 killer would be getting day parole, her family presented the Angie Richards Memorial Bursary to a graduating student from New Westminster Secondary School.
芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s a really nice thing,芒鈧� Doyle said. 芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s really nice to have something in your loved one芒鈧劉s name that sustains itself. In front of Massey Theatre we still have a memory stone. It is nice to have these tangible things.芒鈧�
Prior to the day parole hearing, a friend of Richards launched an online petition against Perkin芒鈧劉s request for day parole. As of June 5, 750 people had signed the petition to the parole board of Canada on change.org to deny day/full parole to Perkin.
芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s really hard to tell everyone we failed. I failed my sister. That芒鈧劉s how it feels. We didn芒鈧劉t win for her. We didn芒鈧劉t change anything,芒鈧� Schaefer told The Record Thursday. 芒鈧揟he guy today said I have to tell you all your statements were touching and you are very smart about what you say and very moving. I said, 芒鈧淵eah, because we have had 20 years experience writing them.芒鈧劉 It doesn芒鈧劉t matter what you say because it芒鈧劉s really not taken into the scope of what these parole officers look at.芒鈧�
