The New Brunswick Mental Health Review Board ruled Friday that the man found not criminally responsible for the two murders of his elderly neighbours will remain in Dorchester Penitentiary for the next six months.
Gregory Despres has been confined to the mental health unit of the penitentiary since the crime in April, 2005.
“We have until April of 2016 and then he may, in fact, be moving,” says Mary Kennedy Fulton, the daughter-in-law of one of the victims.
The New Brunswick Review Board was considering moving Despres from Dorchester’s Shepody Health Clinic to Restigouche Hospital, which has less security.
Kennedy-Fulton says Dorchester is the best option for Despres and the victim’s families.
"Folks, he's schizophrenic,” she said. “That's not going to change. He's never admitted what he did - that's not, probably, going to change. It's been ten years now. so keep him safe, give him the services and give us the peace of mind so that we can sleep at night."
Verna Decarie and Fred Fulton were stabbed repeatedly inside their Minto home over a decade ago.
Psychiatrist Dr. Louis Theriault told the board despite clinical cuts at the Shepody clinic, it’s more secure than the Restigouche Hospital.
"A minimum security facility would be, at this point, premature and inappropriate because it would lend to too much risk," he said.
Theriault says federal cuts to service in the penal system are making treatment of patients like Despres difficult.
Ottawa plans to transfer not criminally responsible cases to the provinces as early as next year.
Decarie’s daughter Sandra Martin wonders why Despres is getting any consideration at all.
“He's not trying to get any help,” she said. “Like I keep saying, he's murdered two people. Stop with all this B.S. and put him away, and I should be able to get on with my God damned life."
The board has ordered a review of security at the Restigouche Hospital. It is expected to reconvene on the Despres case within six to eight months.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Andy Campbell.
