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Calgary man found not criminally responsible for five stabbing deaths faces review

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 02 Nov, 2023 03:03 PM

A lawyer for an Alberta man found not criminally responsible for killing five young people at a Calgary house party is asking the province's review board to release him on an absolute discharge.

A hearing has heard that Matthew de Grood had several two-week unescorted passes from an Edmonton group home over the last year to visit his parents in Calgary.

His psychiatrist says de Grood was not required to check in with group home staff while on the passes, and there were no problems.

De Grood was found not criminally responsible for the 2014 stabbing deaths of Zackariah Rathwell, Jordan Segura, Kaiti Perras, Josh Hunter and Lawrence Hong.

Court determined he had been living with undiagnosed schizophrenia at the time and he has since been under psychiatric care.

Each year, the Criminal Code Review Board assesses de Grood's treatment and determines whether he should be allowed any increased privileges or freedoms.

Dr. Oghogho Manuwa told the board Thursday that de Grood is a low risk to reoffend but, if another event were to happen, it could be violent.

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