The fiancé of a Winnipeg man who was fatally stabbed in December wants to know why another man charged in connection with his death was allowed to be released from prison months earlier.
Ricardo Hibi, 34, died Dec. 17, 2018 after being located by Winnipeg police in the 600 block of McGee Street, where he ran a foster home, suffering from stab wounds.
Kane Ashley Antonio Moar, 21, was arrested by Winnipeg police Jan.5 and charged with second degree murder in connection with Hibi’s death.
Hibi’s fiancé Candace Woloshyn said she was shocked after learning in March that Moar’s statutory release was processed despite pending murder charges against him in connection with the August 2018 death of another inmate.
Moar was charged by RCMP last month in connection with the death Adam Monias, 25, who died following an assault at Stony Mountain Institution.
“I felt lifeless again,” said Woloshyn. “It just felt like a whole other grieving process.”
All federal inmates are entitled to statutory release after serving two-thirds of their sentence. The Parole Board of Canada is limited to imposing conditions on an offender’s release except in cases where Correctional Service Canada puts forward a recommendation to detain the offender until the end of their sentence.
For that to happen, Correctional Service Canada must believe the offender is likely to commit an offence causing death or serious harm to another person, a sexual offence involving a child or a serious drug offence before the end of their sentence.
Moar had been serving a sentence of two years and seven months for robbery with a weapon when his statutory release was processed.
He was released from custody Oct. 12, 2018 under special conditions despite several concerns listed in Parole Board of Canada documents.
“Recent reports on file indicate on August 24, 2018, security intelligence information was received that you were involved in the murder of an inmate,” the documents say. “Reports note you will be charged with Second Degree Murder.
“Your case management team assess you are a high risk to re-offend in general and violently.”
Correctional Service Canada has launched an investigation into the matter but couldn’t speak to specifics, including whether a recommendation for detention was ordered in Moar’s case.
“Detention orders are exceptional measures because they place further limitations on an offender's right to statutory release,” said a Correctional Service Canada spokesperson in an email. “All offenders are reviewed, prior to statutory release, to determine whether they meet the detention criteria as outlined in section 129 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.”
The lack of answers so far has left Woloshyn feeling frustrated.
“It’s just something that we didn’t think would ever happen,” said Woloshyn. “It’s destroying me. It’s hard.”
Moar’s statutory release has been revoked and he is now back in custody.
