Review Board rejects absolute discharge of man who killed 5 at Calgary house party

EDMONTON – The Alberta Review Board has cleared the way for a mentally ill man who fatally stabbed five young people at a Calgary house party to transition to a group home.

Matthew de Grood, who is 30, was found not criminally responsible for the 2004 killings, because he was suffering from schizophrenia at the time.

The review board has rejected an absolute discharge because it says de Grood remains a significant threat to the safety of the public.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Psychosis in remission for mentally ill man who killed five at Calgary house party

• Court of Appeal restores privileges for man who killed five at Calgary house party

• Man who killed five people at Calgary party appealing review board decision

But it’s allowing him more freedoms at the discretion of his treatment team at Alberta Hospital in Edmonton.

Those include passes to the City of Edmonton when accompanied by staff or a responsible adult, staff supervised camping trips and unsupervised passes to Edmonton.

The treatment team may also give de Grood passes of up to one week while accompanied by a staff member for the purpose of transitioning into a group home and approval for eventually moving into a 24-hour supervised home in Edmonton.