Victims' families say killer Matthew de Grood should never be released

Family members of five people stabbed to death by Matthew de Grood at a university house party in 2014 while he was in a psychotic state told a review board Friday he should never be released from the psychiatric facility where he is now being treated.

"We, the five families of Lawrence Hong, Joshua Hunter, Kaiti Perras, Zackariah Rathwell and Jordan Segura, remain steadfast in our position that Matthew de Grood should be institutionalized indefinitely and urge the Alberta Review Board to recognize the risk of him being released into society in any capacity, is far too great," said Gregg Perras, father of Kaiti, reading from a prepared statement.

"We strongly defy anyone that suggests this risk is manageable or acceptable. The absolute evil and heinous nature of the crime he committed can not be overstated and the prospect of this person being re-integrated into our community is beyond comprehension."

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De Grood, now 27, was charged with first-degree murder butfound not criminally responsible for the five stabbing deaths during a 2014 house party to celebrate the end of classes at University of Calgary.

Following the last hearing, the board allowed de Groodto take escorted outings around the grounds of the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatry Centre and trips around Calgary for medical appointments.

That board made up of a judge, lawyer, forensic psychiatrist and a member of the public is now considering whether to grant de Grood more freedoms, such as visiting a mall or other public facilitywhile supervised.

"These visits, would be supervised by one staff member, armed only with a cell phone, from the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatry Centre, but no security personnel would be present," said Perras.

"We call on all Albertans, and in particular the people of Calgary that are outraged by these recommendations to speak out Your children will be at those malls in very close proximity to a multiple murderer."

Fully participating

During Friday's review, Dr. Sergio Santana testified that de Grood is fully participating in his treatment and could eventually be released into the community.

"He's very committed to his treatment," Santana told the hearing. "He's not just there going through the motions. Matthew is a model patient and he's doing everything he can."

The treatment team believes de Grood will need to stay in the secure hospital where he is being housed for quite some time, Santana added.

De Grood's schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder is in full remission, said Santana.

"His progress is good. Eventually there will be a time when reintegration will be possible."

Perras disagreed with that assertion.

"There is no cure for schizophrenia and certainly no guarantee that this individual would continue to take his medication if he was ever unsupervised," he said.

"There is no certainty that this person, under the right circumstances, would not be capable of killing again. In the absence of absolute certainty, and in light of the evil he committed, the only option is to ensure Matthew De Grood is held in full custody on a permanent basis."

'Desperately wish it never happened'

Earlier in the day, de Grood told the review board he "will do everything I can to help the community heal," and that he wants "to turn my life into service for other people."

Wearing a teal golf-style shirt and faded jeans, de Grood pulled a folded up statement from the front pocket and read it aloud.

"I desperately wish it never happened," he said in part.

De Grood talked about how sorry he is for what the victims and their families have endured, calling the events a horrendous tragedy.

"I will do everything I can to help the community heal," he said, also promising to never do drugs or drink alcohol.

"I am truly sorry for what I've done. I take full responsibility."

While a member of the board questioned de Grood about his progress, members of the victims' families let out audible sighs and groans.

He says he's learned a lot about schizophrenia and has taken online courses on nutrition and stress management and also does gardening at the facility.

De Grood says he knows he has to take medication for the rest of his life.

Heard voices

On April 15, 2014, at a party celebrating the end of the University of Calgary semester, de Grood killed Rathwell, 21, Hong, 27, Hunter, 23, Perras, 23, and Segura, 22.

De Grood has said he heard what he thought was the voice of the devil before the attack and told a psychiatrist that he believed a war was about to begin, signalling the end of the world, when he arrived at the party.

After two weeks of evidence, the judge hearing the caseruled deGroodwasin a psychotic state at the time of the killings suffering symptoms of schizophrenia.

Though he was charged with five counts of first-degree murder, deGroodwas found not criminally responsible (NCR) after thetrial in May 2016.

A finding of NCR means de Grood did not understand that his actions were morally wrong at the time of the stabbings.

He has since expressed remorse for the pain he caused the five families.

Flashbacks around anniversary of attacks

Santana warned on Friday there is there is an increased risk of violence if de Grood slips back into a psychotic state. De Grood now has unsupervised access to the internet but staff are watching for warning signs including insomnia and irritability.

De Grood has developed insight into his illness, Santana said. He told treatment staff and his family that he was having flashbacks around the anniversary of the attacks.

The psychiatrist said last November that de Grood was upset when another doctor refused to treat him because he didn't want to draw unwanted attention to his clinic. De Grood realizes that the notoriety of his actions will be with him for a long time, Santana told the hearing.

"That was a reality check in a way."

High riskNCR

The victims' families have expressed a wish for de Grood to be designated as "high-risk" NCR, which would mean he could go up to three years between hearings.

The families have previously said annual reviews of de Grood's treatment derail their healing process.

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With files from The Canadian Press, Colleen Underwoodand Meghan Grant