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A former pharmacist who killed his ex-partner in Vernon is up for statutory release in less than a month, and while his day parole has been extended until that date, the Parole Board of Canada says he still poses a risk to re-commit intimate partner violence.
Shaun Ross Wiebe was to three years, five months and 12 days in jail following a manslaughter conviction in 2023, in relation to the 2018 death of his common-law partner, Heather Barker. He was a year into his sentence in June 2024.
Documents from the Parole Board show Wiebe is due for statutory release on Sept. 26. His day parole has been extended until that date. Once released, he'll serve the remainder of his sentence under supervision in the community.
The Parole Board has granted Wiebe day parole a number of times, each time noting he has a high risk to re-offend towards an intimate partner, though he poses a low risk to others in the context of family violence.
"Risk-related issues include alcohol abuse, anger management issues, attitudes that justify the use of violence in intimate relationships, attitudes of male privilege, a need for power and control, jealousy/insecurity and depression," the Parole Board's decision says.
Wiebe was drinking in March 2018 when he began to argue with his then partner, Barker, who he went on to inflict fatal head injuries to. The Parole Board notes there was a history of violence in the relationship.
"It took an undercover police operation to gather the sufficient evidence to eventually lead to your arrest and conviction for this offence," the decision notes.
After the Parole Board denied Wiebe full parole but granted day parole for six months in June 2024, Wiebe was released to a community residential facility on Vancouver Island. His conditions were to stay in the area, follow his treatment plan, abstain from alcohol and drugs, and report all relationships.
The board said Wiebe has been consistently compliant during his day parole release. He has also undergone substance abuse treatment and counselling.
"Though there were issues with your attitude at the outset of day parole, additional programming and counselling by the parole officer brought about the necessary adjustments," the decision says, adding there have been no subsequent problems.
Several victim impact statements on file write of "the profound pain they experienced at the loss of (Barker) and the trauma from the way her life was taken," the decision notes.
The Parole Board says Wiebe's high risk to again commit intimate partner violence is being supervised.
It notes that statutory release is a release mandated by law and is not a decision the Parole Board makes.
