A man convicted in a notorious 1990 double murder in Tsawwassen has been granted full parole after winning a review of an earlier Parole Board of Canada decision.
Derik Lord and accomplices David Muir and Darren Huenemann were teenagers when they murdered Huenemann’s mother and grandmother in an attempt to secure a $4 million inheritance.
Lord, who is now in his early 50s and continues to maintain his innocence, was granted day parole in March 2020 and became eligible for full parole earlier this year. He appealed the parole board’s February denial of full parole and a review was held last month.
At a video hearing, a parole board panel determined Lord does not present an undue risk and should be allowed to reintegrate into society before completing his sentence for two counts of firs-degree murder.
The decision notes the victims’ families continue to suffer trauma and that Lord’s continued lack of accountability and denial of responsibility has only served to compound their loss and grief.
They asked for a no-contact order and, as part of his release, Lord cannot travel to Vancouver Island or the Lower Mainland. He is also to have no contact with Crown witnesses about whom he has expressed resentment in the past.
Lord has historical behaviours that would put him at a moderate to high risk to reoffend, but the board noted he has “rarely displayed a negative attitude since 2013 and it appears you have made progress overall in your ability to communicate with others.”
An Indigenous man who had little contact with his heritage before the crime, Lord has recently worked in prison with an Indigenous elder and participated in cultural events and ceremonies.
There have been no serious incidents during his day parole, which came with conditions and was gradually extended to regular absences of up to two weeks at a time before returning to a minimum-security facility.
The board said Lord “demonstrated a co-operative, patient and respectful attitude toward members of (his) case management team” and has held down a full-time job.
“While you are described as someone who can occasionally come across as combative, arrogant and entitled, you have not come across as disrespectful or volatile,” said the board decision released on Aug. 2.
The Correctional Service of Canada has reported that, despite spending the bulk of his life in prison, Lord has “demonstrated the skills needed to function in the community,” has a better handle on managing his emotions and is an improved communicator.”
Lord’s combative behaviour during the last parole hearing was “due to the anxiety (Lord was) experiencing at the time” and that there have been no other signs he cannot deal with stressors and triggers in daily life.
On parole, Lord is required to live with his wife and son in the Interior, share household and parental duties, and keep the same employer.
During the latest hearing, the board said Lord “presented in a hostile and argumentative manner” when asked to express his understanding of the impact of his crimes on the victims, was dismissive of their concerns and “lacked any semblance of remorse or empathy.” But it acknowledged he realized his reactions were inappropriate and asked to take a break to collect himself.
Despite referring to Lord’s “lack of accountability, sense of entitlement and arrogance at times, including any lack of expressed remorse,” the board said it is legally required to base its decision on an assessment of risk, and whether his presence in the community would be a danger to others.
It said Lord’s denials are “unrelated to your risk management” and it has little relation to his “overall risk to reoffend.”
“You have been in the community on day parole since 2020 and have demonstrated sustained progress in that time. You have secured employment, have remained positively engaged with your culture and cultural supports, have completed recommended programs, are engaged in your correctional plan, and have maintained a positive working relationship with your (team),” it said.
It judged his family’s stability and supports are a “protective factor” in terms of Lord’s risk to the community.
In 1992, Lord was found guilty for his role in the Oct. 5, 1990, murder of Doris Leatherbarrow, 69, and Sharon Huenemann, 47. The women were found dead in Leatherbarrow’s Tsawwassen home, having been struck in the head and stabbed in the throat repeatedly, then left to die.
Lord was initially sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 10 years. He lost appeals of both his conviction and sentence.
With files from Stephanie Ip