Calgary remembers Brentwood Five on 12th anniversary of house party stabbing

Wednesday marks 12 years since five young Calgarians were murdered while celebrating the end of the semester at a house party in Calgary’s Brentwood neighbourhood.

Kaiti Perras, Lawrence Hong, Joshua Hunter, Jordan Segura, and Zackariah Rathwell, collectively known as the “Brentwood Five” were fatally stabbed by Matthew de Grood on April 15, 2014.

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas acknowledged the somber anniversary Tuesday.

“They were students, musicians, artists, friends, and family members,” he said. “Their absence continues to be felt by those who knew them and by our wider community.”

The students have been memorialized in various capacities, including at Quinterra Legacy Garden, located at South Glenmore Park.

Quinterra Legacy Garden focuses on music and performances to remember the victims. Musical instruments, a performance stage, a picnic area, and various features honouring each victim can all be found in the park.

“The City of Calgary has worked to ensure these five young people are remembered with dignity and respect,” the mayor said. “One lasting act of remembrance is the Quinterra Legacy Garden in South Glenmore Park, a public space created to honour their lives and legacies.”

A bronze plaque was erected in 2020 to honour those lost, but was stolen from the site in February. CityNews Calgary has reached out to police for an update on the investigation.

De Grood was later found to be suffering from undiagnosed schizophrenia and found not criminally responsible for the deaths in 2016.

In December 2025, de Grood was given more freedoms by Alberta’s Criminal Code Review Board.

He is now allowed passes of up to two weeks to visit his family’s home in Calgary and permission to travel to B.C. and Ontario if accompanied by a responsible adult.

Farkas says the city continues to support conversations around community well-being and mental health awareness, recognizing the importance of care, early support, and compassion.