Another group has joined the fight against a Prince George serial killer’s move from a maximum security prison to a medium.
Four women were brutally murdered by Cody Legebokoff, who was only 24 years old when he was convicted of those crimes in September, 2014.
His victims were Loren Leslie, 15, Natasha Montgomery, 23, Jill Stuchenko and Cynthia Maas, who were both 35.
Montgomery’s remains have never been found; Legebokoff hasn’t revealed the location.
In January, he was transferred from BC’s Kent Institution, a maximum security prison, to medium security Warkworth Institution in Ontario.
Sarah Boyd, Executive Director of the Northern Women’s Centre at UNBC, has drafted a letter to send to Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, urging them to reverse the move.
“It seems like offender’s rights get priority over victim’s rights. I wanted to make a statement, and I guess be a voice for them,” Boyd said.
Prince George-Cariboo MP Todd Doherty also publicly called out the Minister to take action after the transfer of Legebokoff was made public.
Both Doherty and Boyd said there hasn’t been consistent notification of Legebokoff’s transfers and movements to the victim’s families.
In one case, a victim’s mother, Louanne Montgomery, said she received a registered letter on Jan. 31st, 2019 from Victim’s Services stating that Legebokoff had been transferred on Jan. 23rd.
In a letter correspondence with MyPGNow, the Minister of Public Safety said “Canadians are better protected when offenders are gradually prepared for potential supervised release. The alternative – releasing offenders “cold turkey” from maximum security into our communities – is far less safe.”
However for Boyd, the issue is not the rehabilitation of Legebokoff, but the timeline in which it is beginning.
“I think he is being prepped pretty early for his eventual release, it’s only been five years. He still has no remorse or regret about the murders.”
She said there’s been a lack of reaction from Prince George residents in light of the move.
“There hasn’t been a huge uproar about this in our community. There were four women who were brutally murdered here and I’m not seeing a public outcry about it.”
“This could be your next door neighbour, this could be your friend. We tend to think that this kind of thing happens somewhere else, not in my network of friends or contacts. But the thing I’m always left with is that this could happen to anyone. I think we need to rally and really support the victim’s families.”
Boyd urges concerned people to sign and send the letter, found below, and send it to Minister Goodale.
She welcomes anyone to add their own comments into the script if they would like to.
PROTEST CODY LEGEBOKOFF’S MOVE FROM MAXIMUM TO MEDIUM SECURITY
PRISON!!!
The Northern Women’s Centre at UNBC is asking the people of Prince George to protest the
recent decision to move serial killer, Cody Legebokoff, from a maximum-security prison to a
medium security prison. Staff with the Northern Women’s Centre have created a form letter
that people can use to write to Ralph Goodall, Federal Minister of Public Safety to voice your
concern.
Why is one of Canada’s youngest serial killers being given the luxury of a new, less secure
environment with more contact? In 2014, Legebokoff was given a life sentence of 25 years
without parole for the heinous murders of 4 young women in our community. He has only
served 5 years of this sentence. Perhaps Legebokoff’s move to medium security could be
understood if he had shown some responsibility or some remorse for the murders of Loren
Donn Leslie, 15, Natasha Mongomery, 23, Jill Stuchenko, 35, and Cynthia Mass, 35 – but he
has not.
Staff with the Northern Women’s Centre met with Doug Leslie, Loren’s father, and
communicated via email with Louanne Montgomery, Natasha’s mother. We asked them to
review the letter and they then gave us their approval to release the letter to the media. The
families revealed to us that they have not been adequately informed of Legebokoff’s
movements and whereabouts, including this latest move.
We are happy that local MP Todd Doherty has brought this issue to the House of Commons in
Ottawa. Police officer Brendan Fitzpatrick, with the BC RCMP Major Crime Section during the
Legebokoff investigation, states that, “Doherty should demand answers from Goodale” as to
why Legebokoff has been “given this generous benefit.” Indeed, the presiding judge of the
Legebokoff trial, Glen Parrett stated, “He (Legebokoff) lacks any shred of empathy or remorse.
He should never be allowed to walk among us again.”
It should be noted too that a psychological assessment of Legebokoff has never been released
to the public. It is evident that Legebokoff has psychopathic and sociopathic tendencies.
According to the Journal of Police Science and Administration, psychopaths and sociopaths can
never be rehabilitated. We are fearful that Legebokoff will have a greater likelihood of escaping
a medium-security prison or be released and still young enough to continue his brutality
towards women.
This is a rallying call to our fellow Prince Georgians – please protest this decision and demand
that Minister Goodale and Prime Minister Trudeau use their power of review under the
Corrections and Conditional Release Act to get Legebokoff moved back to a maximum security
prison. Please use the attached form letter either as is, or add your own comments and send.
As a spokesperson with the Northern Women’s Centre states, “the pendulum has swung too
far; offender’s rights are taking priority over victim’s and their family’s rights.”
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For more information, please contact:
Sarah Boyd
Executive Director
Northern Women’s Centre
[email protected]
250-960-5632