The man convicted of murdering a 16-year-old Moncton girl 29 years ago has been granted day parole, sparking shock and surprise from the victim’s family.
Laura Davis was working in a family convenience store when Patrice Mailloux shot her during a robbery.
Laura’s father, Ron Davis, says it was a “gutless assassination.”
“I can still remember finding her on the floor in the backroom of my store where he made her get on her knees in front of him before he shot her through the head,” said Davis in a victim impact statement last month.
Similar statements were read by Davis' wife and one of his two daughters. The family says the Parole Board of Canada did not rubber stamp Mailloux's release.
“They questioned him I guess for close to two hours and his case worker spoke about him for, I don't know, 45 minutes and he had a lawyer that spoke,” said Davis.
After the parole hearing, the Davis' received a letter from Correctional Services Canada confirming Mailloux's release, and that he will be living in a halfway house in Laval, Que.
Mailloux's conditions include no contact with the Davis family and not to enter New Brunswick. He also must follow psychological counselling, and cannot possess drugs or alcohol.
The parole board has also granted Mailloux leave privileges, meaning his parole officer can approve leave from the halfway house for a maximum of 96 hours per month based on good behaviour.
It’s coming as little comfort to the Davis family, as they say Mailloux has never shown remorse for the killing.
“We don't want him out at this stage of the game,” said Davis. “Our family doesn't want him out. This is an awful stress on a family, going to parole hearings because you live it all over again.”
Mailloux can apply for full parole in two years, and Davis says he'll be there when he does.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jonathan MacInnis.
