Canadian True Crime - 44 The Brentwood Five

Episode Date: April 15, 2019

CALGARY, ALBERTA - Early in the morning in 2014 police in responded to three separate 911 calls. There had been a stabbing incident at a house in Brentwood, a suburb in the northwest of the city. It only took police a few minutes to arrive, and once they did, the scene that greeted them would be something they would never forget.Learn more about:Quinterra Legacy GardenEspionage by Parcast NetworkWant to support sponsors? Here's where the discount codes are:www.canadiantruecrime.ca/sponsorsCredits:Research: Suzanne St JohnWriting, narration, music arrangement, audio production: Kristi LeeAudio editing: Erik KrosbyDisclaimer voiced by the host of Beyond Bizarre True Crime Other credits and sources can be found on the page for this episode at www.canadiantruecrime.ca/episodesSupport the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi everyone, I've noticed some confusion around when my episodes are released, since they don't seem to come out on specific days of the week. This is true, it is a bit weird, but I just wanted to take a minute to clarify that my episodes come out on the first and the fifteenth of each month, twice a month, and it's been on that schedule for over a year now. I love it that many of you guys are actively awaiting the release of the next episode, so I wanted to make sure that the release schedule is clear for anyone who might be confused.

Thank you so much. This podcast contains course language, adult themes, and content of a violent and disturbing nature. Listener discretion is advised. Early in the morning in 2014, police in Calgary, Alberta responded to three separate 911 calls. There had been a stabbing incident in a house in Brentwood, a suburb in the northwest of the city. It only took police a few minutes to arrive, but once they did, the scene that greeted them

would be something they would never forget. This is Christy, and you're listening to Canadian True Crime, Episode 44. This story takes place near the University of Calgary, the institution famed for its unique annual event and local cultural icon, Bermuda Shortstay. The celebration of the year's end started in 1960, when a freshman student at U of C called Alan Arthur decided he wanted to reduce the stigma of men wearing shorts in public. It was really an excuse to wear his own new flowered shorts and of course to celebrate the last day of classes.

After that, the event was celebrated every year, snowballing from a bunch of students playing marbles and doing pie throwing, to giant parties, barbecues, outdoor sports, tugs of wars, volunteering and of course, live entertainment, a giant party. In 2014, Zachariah and the Prophets was a band of four young musicians from Calgary, Alberta. They described themselves as having groove in mind, and their music combined an eclectic mix of genres including funk, soul, rock and jazz. Zachariah and the Prophets consisted of four guys, all in their twenties.

One of them was 21-year-old Zachariah Rathwell, the front man for the band as well as its namesake. Zach loved sports and travelling. In fact, he'd just taken a large trip to Europe and Iceland. After graduating high school, Zach decided to take some time off to work on his music and was now in his first year at ACAD or the Alberta College of Art and Design. He was flourishing there, but his first love and passion was his band, Zachariah and the Prophets.

With their unique and infectious sound, the band was starting to achieve some deserved success. They'd just released their first EP called Good Night a Carious and had celebrated with a record release party and show that sold out. It was April 14, 2014, and Zachariah was attending a Bermuda short-stay party at a private home. With him was 23-year-old Joshua Hunter, the drummer for the band. Josh was studying accounting at the UFC's Hascane School of Business and worked casually as a hotel concierge to earn some income while studying.

Like Zach, Josh's main passion was music. He'd been playing drums since he was 10 years old, so he was also on a high thanks to the band's recent success. The night of their sell-out performance, Josh wrote on Facebook that it was, hands down one of the best nights of my life. Zach, Josh and their friends had a lot to celebrate that April 14. They arrived at a house on Butler Crescent, where five roommates were holding a house party.

One of them was Jordan Segura, who also attended the University of Calgary, majoring in religious studies. 22-year-old Jordan was a huge fan of reggae music and loved travelling in the outdoors. He was known to help perfect strangers and would write inspirational messages on postcards and send them back to his house when he was off travelling in new destinations. Jordan's four roommates at the house were all in their 20s and either University of Calgary students or starting their careers. Brendan McCabe, one of the five, was happy with how the vibe for the party was coming

along. He'd been receiving excited messages from friends all afternoon who wanted to come over. It seemed people wanted something a little more chill than the party chaos that was happening over on campus. Brendan had invited his close childhood friend, Matthew DeGrood, but Matthew was scheduled to work in the produce department at Safeway grocery store until 11pm that night, so knew he wouldn't be showing up until later on. 22-year-old Matthew was a runner who often participated in charity runs.

He'd graduated with a degree in psychology and had been accepted into law school at U of C starting in September. But for the time being, Matthew was working about 30 hours a week at Safeway. Because Brendan wasn't expecting Matthew to arrive until after 11 when he'd finished work, he was surprised to get a call from his friend at around 9pm. Matthew told Brendan that he'd decided to leave work early and take the sea train to the party and asked if Brendan could meet him at the local co-op gas station where he was waiting.

Matthew added that he couldn't remember where the house was, something Brendan thought was strange because Matthew had been there many times before. Nevertheless, Brendan walked down to the gas station and met up with Matthew, who was still wearing his work uniform. Matthew handed Brendan some garlic and a knife with a serrated blade, offering no explanation. Brendan noticed that his friend seemed agitated. As they walked back to the house, Matthew talked about hidden meanings in song lyrics and ranted about then US President Obama.

They arrived back at the party which was in full swing by this time. About 25 to 35 people showed up and the party spilled out into the front yard. Everyone was happy and relaxed, enjoying the laid back atmosphere. Nice and chill, just as Brendan and his housemates had planned. Matthew was acting a little strange though. Party guests noticed he wouldn't take his coat off, keeping it fully zipped up even when he was inside the house. Later, he went for a walk with a friend called Daniel.

Daniel noticed that Matthew was different to how he usually was. He was talking about conspiracy theories, saying that it was going to be the end of the world at midnight and talked about the solar eclipse and a blood red moon. Daniel was concerned and sent a text message to Brendan back at the house, saying that he thought maybe Matthew was in a bad place. The two walked back to the house and rejoined the party where Matthew caught up with Brendan. Matthew made a point of telling his friend that his parents thought he was going insane, but Brendan thought nothing of it because he knew his friend had clashed with his parents

before over their strictness. At this point, Matthew put on a pair of blue latex gloves, explaining that he was taking precautions in case he had to kill someone at the end of the world. He said if people asked questions about the gloves, he would just put his hands in his pockets. The party continued without incident, not so much as a minor confrontation. Matthew deGrood, though, continued to act strangely. At around midnight, he was seen tossing his phone into the fire pit in the backyard before

smashing it with an axe. He was also seen eating entire cloves of garlic. This odd behaviour couldn't be explained by drugs or alcohol. He was not seen drinking or taking anything, and he still seemed pretty lucid. At around 12.30am, he sent a series of text messages to his mother, saying things like I'm not paranoid, I love you, trust me it's reincarnation this time. His mother was worried about him, and he replied by saying I'm okay mum I promise I will never die and no one will die.

He then told her that she was possessed by the moon. His parents were worried by these text messages and could see that something was up with their son. They suspected that he was suicidal and his father went out to look for him. Just before one in the morning on April 15, 2014, as the party was starting to wind down, housemate Brendan and three friends decide to go to a nearby McDonald's restaurant for a late night snack. Just seven people are left in the house, one a housemate had gone upstairs to go to bed.

In the lounge room, there's two couches facing each other. On one couch lies 27 year old Lawrence Hong, fast asleep. Described as a snappy dresser, Lawrence is an urban study student at U of C and one of those positive people who likes to get involved in things. He's the Vice President of Finance for the Urban Calgary Students Association. He's also openly gay and works with the Calgary Fairytales Queer Film Festival, where he's often asked to be the face of the festival because of his welcoming personality. Lawrence loves to help other LGBTQ students who struggled with coming out.

He's known as a friend to many. But right now, Lawrence is sleeping peacefully on the couch as the last quiet conversations of the party start to simmer down. Seated on the opposite couch, just chilling out, is Jordan Segura, one of the housemates, the religious study student. He's with band drummer Josh Hunter and 23 year old Katie Parris. Katie is a dancer, in fact, she lives to dance and excelled in a number of different types of dance, including ballet and hip hop.

Katie is known for her sense of style and has one of those sparkly, bubbly personalities that draws people in. She loves to laugh. As Katie, Jordan and Josh chat on the couch and Lawrence sleeps, band frontman Zach Rathwell is in the kitchen with Matthew DeGrood, having one of those deep and meaningful conversations that tend to happen as a party is winding down. They're talking about Buddhism. Suddenly and without warning, Matthew DeGrood picks up a large chef's knife from a knife

block on one of the shelves. He turns and rapidly stabs Zachariah Rathwell seven times. He then runs into the lounge where the two couches are. He quickly stabs Josh Hunter six times and then Jordan Segura once. Katie Parris had gotten up and is running to the dining room but Matthew chases her and stabs her four times. He then goes back to the couch where Lawrence Hong is sleeping and stabs him four times as he lies defenceless.

In fact, they were all defenceless. It was a rampage and it happened so quickly that they were all powerless to do anything about it. Josh Hunter with six stab wounds stumbles out of the front door of the house to get help with Matthew DeGrood hot on his heels still armed with a knife. At the same time, Brendan McCabe and his friends are walking up the driveway home from their McDonald's run just in time to see Joshua collapse on the lawn covered in blood. Matthew suddenly appears bolting out the front door and down the street holding a bloody

knife. Brendan runs after his childhood friend to see if he was okay not knowing what had happened. After calling 911, the others checked on Josh who was saying that Matthew had a large knife. Down the street, Brendan finally catches up with Matthew and sees he's holding the knife over his head. Brendan is able to overpower Matthew and convinces him to let the knife go. Matthew says it's the night of the long knives and tells Brendan that they are blood brothers before running away again.

Stunned, Brendan straightens up as his friend runs off. Police and paramedics arrive at the house within four minutes of the 911 call and check all five of the victims. They see Josh Hunter on the front lawn. He is still alive but barely. So too is Katie Parris who was being tended to by a friend. Inside, they find Zachariah Rathwell and Jordan Segura lying next to each other in the living room lifeless.

On the couch, a friend is trying to apply pressure to Lawrence Hong's injuries but it's too late. He is already gone. Katie Parris and Josh Hunter are rushed by ambulance to hospital clinging to their lives but they both succumb to their injuries not long after they arrive. This attack had left five young people dead from stab wounds. Tactical police officers had descended on the neighbourhood looking for Matthew. They ran into Matthew's father Doug who was out looking for him too. The police told Doug that his son was a murder suspect.

Just half an hour after the attacks, the police found him. He was spotted jumping out of a dumpster and then cornered by a canine officer just a few blocks away from the house. Constable Sean McGilverray was one of the officers who was on the scene for the arrest and was shocked that Matthew, fairly small and stature, had put up a fight against the larger officers and their trained canine, a German shepherd. They all tried to hold him down but Matthew actually punched the dog. Despite the dog biting him in self-defence, Matthew also tried to hold him down.

In self-defence, Matthew seemed to feel no pain and continued fighting saying, I didn't do it, I want to talk to my lawyer. The officers noticed that he seemed to have no fear and was noted to have a blank steer on his face. Constable McGilverray searched Matthew and found garlic in his sock. When he asked what it was for, Matthew said, for the vampires. Matthew was arrested and taken to hospital for the minor injuries that occurred as he fought his detainment. During the ambulance ride and after his arrival at hospital, he continued to make a number of bizarre statements, calling himself the Son of God, saying Satan was the true God,

talking about the moon and Hitler and conspiracy theories again. He rambled about how his friends were vampires, werewolves and medusae. He spoke about serial killers including Charles Manson and Ted Bundy. He was later charged with five counts of first-degree murder. Two days after the murders, Matthew DeGrood's parents, Doug and Susan DeGrood, spoke publicly for the first time. Doug read a prepared statement, saying they were shocked and devastated and trying to make sense of what happened. They called Matthew a great kid, full of love, kindness and respect for others.

They hoped they would someday have answers about why this happened. Then they spoke about the victims, quote, simply saddened for what the families and friends of the victims are going through. Your lives have been turned upside down. We know words cannot begin to ease your pain and suffering. Please accept our deepest condolences and know that you are in our hearts, our thoughts and our prayers. The Funerals for the Five started on April 21, 2014. Katie Parris, the talented dancer, was remembered by her mother Shannon

as being an intelligent, funny person who had many layers to her personality. One of them was her generous caring nature and willingness to be there for people. Katie loved to paint and had two sisters and a brother that she was extremely protective over. Her friends and family were encouraged to wear bright colours as a nod to her love of fashion. Her uncle said she could fix anyone's fashion problems in just five minutes. Katie's dance mentor spoke about her amazing dance talent, quote, it was her heart and gracious spirit that made her exceptional. Purple Balloons were released in Katie's honour and her family asked in Lua Flowers

that donations be made to a scholarship fund created in her name, the Katie Parris Love of Dance Scholarship Fund. Josh Hunter was remembered as a talented drummer with eclectic taste in music, as well as a loyal friend and prankster, especially when it came to his sister, Michaela. She said he had written a quote in his birthday card saying, be who you are, nothing more and nothing less. She got that as a tattoo. Josh was described by a friend as a genuine humanitarian with moral standards that were quietly demonstrated in the way he treated people. He was always willing to help anyone in need and exemplified what it meant to be a good person, quote, he would want us to view his ending as a starting point for us to love more fully.

To honour Josh's musical talents, his drums were set up on the floor next to his casket. Jordan Segura's funeral was held the same day as those for Katie and Josh. The religious study student was remembered as a generous, compassionate and wonderful friend who was always ready to help and always armed with a compliment. Jordan's older brother Julian said he looked up to his brother, describing him as a kind, loving man of integrity. His mother remembered him as a gentle and kind soul who was a special friend to so many. Jordan actually worked part-time in the funeral home where the memorial service was held. His boss said he was well liked by his colleagues.

A friend of his, Jada, assured everyone, quote, myself and a couple of friends were with him right at the end and I want you all to know that Jordan was not alone. After the attacks as the police started to gather witness statements, Matthew DeGrood had been detained at the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatry Centre where he was put on suicide watch. Matthew had been having paranoid delusions that the staff there were trying to kill him. He would walk around naked while talking about Adam and Eve. He uttered nonsensical statements to himself and made odd hand gestures. The day after the funerals for Jordan, Josh and Katie were held,

Matthew DeGrood made his first court appearance via closed circuit television from the facility. At this court appearance, he was ordered to undergo a 30-day assessment to determine whether he was mentally fit to stand trial. For this assessment, he was transferred to Alberta Hospital Edmonton. His defence lawyer, Ellen Fay, told the media that Matthew was gradually coming to turns with the gravity of the situation as he was being treated. That same day, the funeral service was held for Zach Rathwell, the front man of the band Zachariah and the Prophets. He was remembered by his friends as the guy with the big smile, gorgeous hair, exceptional talent and generous spirit. Zach was described as being always happy and a nice comforting presence to be around. Zach's father Bruce said his first memory of Zach was snipping the umbilical cord the morning he came into this world

and his last memory was being at the coroner's office and identifying him at 21 years of age. Zach's little brother Mason remembered their relationship with fondness. Quote, my brother ripped on me a lot but was so proud of me and I'm going to make him proud every day for the rest of my life. Last to speak was Zach's mother, who quoted the famous children's story I'll Love You Forever. Quote, he was an even better person than I thought he was. I love you my zoo boy, I love you forever, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be. The day after that, April 23rd, 2014, the last of the five victims was laid to rest. Lawrence Hong, the urban study student at U of C, was described as being a passionate person who threw himself into everything he did with positive energy. Lawrence was enthusiastic about public transportation and wanted to be an urban planner.

His passion prompted Calgary Transit employees to collect money and pay for a special charter bus that took people from the university to his funeral service. It was named Route 430 in honor of Lawrence's birthday, which was April the 30th. Lawrence's friends talked about his flair for fashion and how he was always impeccably dressed. Lawrence originally moved from the Philippines with his family and his little brother Miles said that Lawrence always looked out for him, especially when they'd first moved. One of his instructors and mentors said that Lawrence taught him a lot about life. Quote, he taught me to be comfortable in my own skin as a gay man. On April the 30th, 2014, the University of Calgary held a public memorial for all five victims. Scholarships and trust funds were established in honor of each person. Meanwhile, Matthew had been transferred to the Alberta Hospital Edmonton to undergo a 30-day psychiatric assessment.

While committed, he was examined by several doctors, including Dr. Alberto Choi, a forensic psychiatrist. Dr. Choi assessed Matthew's life up until the attacks and ascertained that there was no psychotic behavior before then. Matthew DeGrood was born in 1992 to a family that can only be described as normal or ordinary. His mother Susan was an accountant and his father Doug was a veteran with the Calgary police, holding the rank of inspector. He'd had a distinguished career. He'd been singled out early on to be a leader because he was considered intelligent, level-headed and fair. His career was littered with leadership examples. Matthew had a sister who was a year older than him, but her name was kept out of the press. Nothing uncovered in Matthew DeGrood's background suggests he had anything other than a normal childhood.

He did well at school and wasn't short of friends. He had a bit of a detour off the straight and narrow in 2008 when he was in grade 11. He started using cocaine and ecstasy and several of his friends became concerned and notified his parents who took action straight away. They put him in treatment and counseling that lasted for a year. Over that time, his drug use seemed to be resolved. His parents continued to monitor him and his bank accounts and everything seemed to be in order from that time on. The following year, 2009, Matthew graduated from St. Francis Catholic High School. He then went on to the University of Calgary where he got a bachelor's degree majoring in psychology with a minor in law and society.

In the month leading up to the April attacks, he was working 30 hours a week at Safeway in preparation for starting law school in the fall. He was excited but also a bit stressed about entering a new program. He was still living at home with his parents and said his home life wasn't overly stressful. But his parents, along with his sister, had noticed that Matthew's personality had suddenly started to change. In fact, his friends on Facebook noticed too. He started posting concerning things, heavy metal song lyrics, quotes from the Bible, conspiracy theories and erratic nonsensical thoughts. He was posting up to 20 times a day, something that was most unusual for him. In conversation with Dr. Choi for the psychiatric assessment, Matthew revealed that in the weeks up to the attacks he'd become withdrawn,

his sleeping pattern had changed and he began to have delusions. He started to believe he was the Son of God as well as other deities. He'd been reading about the Illuminati, werewolves and vampires. He had paranoid delusions that there was a conspiracy in place and a war was inevitable. He believed that the world was going to end on April 14th because of what he called the Blood Moon. April 14th was, of course, the night of the party, with the attack happening in the early morning hours of April 15. Just days before the attacks, Matthew's parents noticed he'd become disengaged from the family and was spending a lot of time alone in his bedroom. They asked him if he was using drugs again. He said no.

His behavior was so concerning that his father considered having him detained under the Mental Health Act for evaluation. But the problem was that to anyone who didn't know him, Matthew appeared to be lucid, so Doug didn't know if it would be successful. He was undecided as to what to do, so didn't do anything. Matthew's co-workers had noticed odd behavior too. Once thought of as a nice guy, a great employee who did everything that was asked of him, Matthew suddenly started acting paranoid. Two of his co-workers received strange text messages, long, rambling and out of character. He accused them of conspiring against him and deliberately excluding him from things. The co-workers were highly confused by his messages.

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Matthew usually said hello when he arrived for his shift, but this day, he said nothing. His supervisor Andrea noticed. She also noticed that during the shift, he was posting what she described as weird stuff on Facebook while he was at work. Matthew later confirmed to Dr. Choi that he came to work that day convinced the world was going to end. During his shift, Matthew also sent a number of strange text messages to his mother Susan. Statements about Frankenstein, Chinese astrology, and the Book of Revelations. He asked her if he was a descendant of Hitler and Pontius Pilate. That's a character in the Bible who ordered the crucifixion of Jesus. Matthew texted his mum about the Illuminati and reincarnation, as well as other things that didn't make sense.

Matthew's parents were incredibly concerned about him by this time, and via text they pressed him to find out if he was okay. He replied by telling them to call two specific professors of psychology at U of C. At nearly 8pm, Matthew was still at work at Safeway. He was seen buying a package of garlic, and half an hour later, he purchased a bottle of garlic vitamins and withdrew $500 cash from an ATM. In conversation with Dr. Choi, Matthew explained that he bought garlic to fend off werewolves and vampires who were on the side of evil. When Matthew was asked to provide a reason for why he needed to fight mythical creatures, he came up blank. Matthew's shift was due to finish at 11pm, but about an hour before that, his supervisor Andrea went looking for him and was told that he was long gone. She texted Matthew about his absence.

He replied back, quote, Trust that I never hurt anyone, all will be known. And he followed it with a number five. Matthew had actually left at 8.30, two and a half hours before his shift was due to finish. This was the first time he'd ever done that. He had driven his car to his shift at Safeway, but decided to leave it there, oddly opting to take the train to his friend Brendan's house. When he met up with Brendan, he handed him some garlic and a knife with a serrated blade. At the time, he said it was because he perceived Brendan as being on the side of good.

Matthew went on to say he didn't think he was meant to kill anyone, per se. He told Dr. Choi that he felt compelled to act as a general and direct soldiers in battle. He acknowledged his fixation with wearing gloves at the party and remembered that in his mind, it was because he was given the task of dismembering the bodies from the war. During the party, Matthew did and said some strange things which raised some eyebrows. He wasn't drinking or doing drugs and when he was offered tea, he said no because it was poisoned. He couldn't remember why he'd destroyed his cell phone with an axe and threw it into the fire. In the house, he says he saw a piece of art with a noose on it and took that as a sign of the impending war.

He then said he heard a male voice which he believed to be the voice of the devil, say, kill them before they get you. He said that from that point on, he felt no emotion except fear. Matthew ended up in the kitchen with Zach Rathwell. They discussed Buddhism and the end of the world. Matthew later told Dr. Choi that he perceived Zach to be arguing with him. Matthew decided that Zach must be a werewolf which he felt was confirmed when Zach said, maybe you'll die before me as part of their conversation about Buddhism.

Matthew took this as a direct threat. Matthew told police officers that he asked Zach to give him space. Quote, we were walking towards the knife block so I decided to shoot first because I didn't know what he was going to do so I stabbed him. He said he aimed at Zach's heart because he believed that was the way to kill werewolves. Matthew explained to Dr. Choi that he went on to kill Josh, Katie, Lawrence and Jordan because he thought they were part of the conspiracy. Quote, then the people on the couch saw and obviously started freaking out so I killed them from left to right as quickly as I could. The girl ran into the corner so I went and stabbed her. I said, I'm sorry I have to do this.

Then the guy from the kitchen wasn't dead. I had to hunt him down. Then I just left. He noted that he perceived them as not being friendly towards him and not socializing with him because they didn't know him. He then denied being personally angry with the four going back to the story that he was just anxious because he thought they were on the side of evil. He tried to say that when he stabbed them he did it mercifully. Quote, I aimed for their heart. They put up a struggle which made it hard but so you know it wasn't sadistic or anything.

Matthew insisted that he wouldn't have hurt Brendan and some of his other friends claiming he believed that they were on the good side. He said he had no memory of calling Brendan blood brother as he ran from the house. Dr. Choi asked Matthew if the medication he was on was helping. Matthew said that it was and that the paranoid delusions he had were starting to dissipate. He spoke of his initial belief that the hospital staff were Nazis and said he no longer thought that. His depression was improving along with his appetite. He no longer had auditory hallucinations. Dr. Choi determined that Matthew suffered from a psychotic episode but wrote that the 22 year old's insight into his own illness appeared superficial.

Quote, certainly the emotional gravity of the offences was limited as he discussed them with us. However he did not impress as callous. Dr. Choi also determined that Matthew believed he was being threatened at the time and therefore wrote that a not criminally responsible defense might apply to him. Not criminally responsible or NCR applies to perpetrators who are found to have committed an act that constitutes an offence but cannot appreciate or understand what they did was wrong at the time due to a mental disorder. The judge agreed with Dr. Choi. Matthew was determined to be fit to stand trial.

His lawyer recommended that he continued to receive ongoing psychiatric treatment though because, quote, you can still be profoundly mentally ill and be fit to stand trial. A month later on July the 22nd 2014, Matthew made his first court appearance in person and was ordered to undergo another psychiatric evaluation. His lawyer, Ellen Fay, said that he was nervous about the prospect of continuing to be in custody and, quote, as he's treated further I think he becomes more lucid and the impact of what he's facing really comes home to him. As Matthew DeGroote's case continued to work its way through the many steps that comprise the legal system, shock waves from the tragedy continued to ripple through the local community.

In September of 2014, almost six months after the attacks, thousands of people gathered at an emotional tribute concert at the Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary. The event was called the High Hopes concert and it raised money for the scholarships created in honour of Zach, Josh, Jordan, Katie and Lawrence. Zach's father Bruce Rathwell said he had an empty heart, quote, I'm still dealing with the fact that I don't have a son to give a hug to and tell him how proud I am of him and how much I love him. Zach's mother, Rhonda Lee, said that they were all such amazing kids, quote, I just don't want anyone to forget them, any of them.

In November of 2014, eight months after the attacks, a number of media outlets put in an application to access search warrant information related to the case. Up until now, only limited details about what happened before, during and after the murders had been released to the public. In response to this application, the families of the victims released a statement asking for the media application to be withdrawn, quote, we struggle to understand the benefit to the public of publicising this information prior to a trial. We would suggest the details of this case are such that no one should want or need to hear or read about them prior to them being presented in a court of law. Privately, also of concern to them, was that one of the five victims had a young sibling.

She would find out the details eventually, but the families wanted to hold back from this as long as they could. The judge upheld the publication ban, ruling that releasing even some of the material could jeopardise the fairness of the trial. Matthew DeGroote's trial began on May 13, 2016, with a judge only instead of a jury. The earlier publication ban was removed, allowing the media to share details of the crime. The general public were anxious to get more insights into this high-profile case. The courtroom was packed with people overflowing out of the doors. Matthew DeGroote pleaded not guilty to five counts of first-degree murder.

An agreed statement of facts was presented, which detailed the events of that night according to witnesses. In it, Matthew admitted to his part in the attacks, but his defence lawyer, Ellen Fay, said he wasn't criminally responsible. The crown referred to Matthew as a killing machine, going on to say that the murders were done with brutality and ruthless efficiency. The trial wasn't about proving that Matthew was responsible for the attacks, though. It was about determining whether Matthew knew that what he was doing was morally wrong, not criminally responsible, or NCR. If the determination is NCR, the matter is dealt with as a medical issue in a secure psychiatric facility instead of a criminal issue dealt with in jail. And then after that, it will be up to the Alberta Review Board to determine whether Matthew is still a risk to the community and to release him when they feel he is not. So obviously, for Matthew, a not criminally responsible verdict would have been preferred, as he'll likely end up getting released much sooner.

On the second day of the trial, the families of the five victims were allowed to present tributes to their loved ones. As we know, victim impact statements are usually read at the time of sentencing, but in this case, it was deemed unlikely that there would be a sentencing hearing. One by one, family members of Jordan Segura, Lawrence Hong, Katie Parris, Josh Hunter and Zach Rathwell spoke about their loved ones and how their lives had been forever changed. Lawrence's family described him as having a pure heart, with a strong interest in becoming a city builder. His family wore t-shirts with his picture printed on it. Nikki, the older sister of Katie Parris, said her sister was strong-willed and stubborn, and that she never gave up to be her best self. Jordan Segura's mother Patty said he was always doing nice things for other people and he gave away kindness for free. His brother Julian described Jordan as a mentor and a leader. Josh Hunter's sister Michaela wiped away tears as she remembered how lucky she was to have him as a big brother. His mother said she misses the daily things and reminisced about Josh being a good hugger. Ronda Lee Rathwell, Zach's mother, said her son was witty and chatty, determined and fair, loving and caring, and that he will be remembered for the life he lived.

The moving tributes had many in the courtroom in tears, including Matthew DeGroode's lawyer. Matthew himself, though, showed little emotion. His lawyer explained that he was still being treated and his medications left him a little sedated. The court then heard expert testimony from the mental health professionals who evaluated Matthew in the months after the attacks. Dr. Alberto Choi and Dr. Lenka Zedkova from the Alberta Hospital in Edmonton had each compiled independent reports, both concluding that Matthew should be found not criminally responsible. Dr. Choi said that Matthew understood that he was stabbing and killing the five, but, quote, he wasn't able to establish that what he was doing was morally wrong. Dr. Choi said he wasn't able to label Matthew's mental health condition, likely because he'd only examined him for about four hours. Dr. Zedkova said that Matthew likely suffered from schizophrenia, quote, he intended to kill these individuals because he believed his life was in danger. He believed it was self-defense. A third professional forensic psychologist Dr. Andrew Haag testified, saying he'd spent nearly 20 hours with Matthew before diagnosing him with schizophrenia. He said Matthew had a disease of the mind at the time, which interfered with his ability to appreciate the moral wrongness of his actions.

Shockingly, Dr. Haag said that Matthew told them that if there'd been more people at the house at the time the attacks started, he would have killed them all as well. All three of the expert witnesses testified that their professional opinion was that Matthew was not criminally responsible for the deaths. As we know, the not criminally responsible defense seems easier for an offender than going down the criminal route. So, on cross-examination, the witnesses were asked if they had any concerns that Matthew may have been faking his symptoms. He had so eagerly told them and law enforcement about all his hallucinations, a fact that could be presented as evidence of an attempt to manipulate the system. And also, he completed a psychology degree, so would have had some university-level insight into what a psychiatric illness like this would comprise. Dr. Zedkova felt that Matthew was simply being honest in his description of the paranoid delusions and hallucinations he was experiencing. Dr. Choi said it was initially concerning, but the mountain of evidence from different sources satisfied him that Matthew wasn't faking or exaggerating his psychotic symptoms and was severely ill.

Dr. Haag testified, it's possible, it's just unlikely. On May the 24th, 2016, the trial ended with the crown and the defense agreeing that Matthew deGrode was in a psychotic state at the time of the killings and that he was unable to tell right from wrong. The families of the five victims were shocked when the crown prosecutor agreed with the defense lawyer. They were not warned ahead of time that this was going to happen. This trial wasn't a trial at all, they felt. It was more of a hearing for a not criminally responsible designation. Because the crown and the defense agreed with each other, Justice Eric Macklin really had no choice but to find Matthew deGrode not criminally responsible, meaning he committed the crime, but couldn't appreciate that his actions were morally wrong. Matthew was ordered to continue to be held for an indeterminate length of time in a secure psychiatric facility. A letter was presented that his lawyer, Ellen Fay, said was written by Matthew. In part of it, he said, quote, In my mental illness, I believed things that were untrue, which led me to hurt innocent and good people.

I know my actions have caused irreparable harm and damage to all the families involved, including my own. Matthew wrote that he was truly and deeply sorry for this. He then went on to say, quote, He said he wanted to make amends, quote, His lawyer, Ellen Fay, said the proceedings were also hard on Matthew's parents, Doug and Susan, quote, His lawyer, Ellen Fay, said the proceedings were also hard on Matthew's parents, Doug and Susan, quote, It was an emotional scene outside the Calgary courtroom. At least two dozen members of the victim's families were present. Lawrence Hong's brother, Miles, gave a statement on their behalf.

Our goal at the beginning of this trial was to put the spotlight on our loved ones, and that continues to be our goal now and into the future. We ask that everybody remember the names Zachariah Rathwell, Jordan Segura, Katie Parris, Joshua Hunter, and Lawrence Hall. We can all cherish their legacy by reminiscing moments we had together, living out their values and supporting others through the scholarships and the foundations created in their memory. These are the individuals who should be remembered. These are the lives that were lost, and no matter what, Katie, Jordan, Josh, Zach, and Lawrence are still gone, and our families will never be whole again. The end of this trial is not the end of the journey for us. We continue to be broken. The finding for NCR will be a recurring nightmare for our families. There will be no peace for us. Our ruins will never fully heal.

Every year, we will be forced to relive the details of our families' deaths and the anguish and sorrow. We ask that fellow Canadians become more informed about the justice system, about the designation of not permanently responsible and its implications. Unfortunately, no matter what the outcome is or could have been, our loved ones, Lawrence, Zach, Josh, Jordan, and Katie are gone, and there's no changing that fact. These five young, bright people will only ever smile in our memories. We can only hug them in our dreams. And every moment, greater bad, will be spent wishing they could share it with us. Their lives, our lives, and that of their friends, and the future for all of us affected, are forever changed. Thank you for your attention. Greg Parris, father of Katie Parris, had taken questions from the media. He also said, quote, All we ask is that you remember how they lived, full of purpose, full of life, full of goodness, and love for their friends and family.

Their deaths and this tragedy do not define them. Back in 2017, I covered the 1967 case of the Shell Lake Massacre, Episode 11. In it, a 21-year-old man with untreated schizophrenia shot an entire family to death in their house in Saskatchewan. He spent the rest of his life in psychiatric care, eventually dying there in his late 50s. In 1991, the laws around how these kinds of crimes are dealt with drastically changed. After that, anyone who falls under the not criminally responsible rules is no longer treated as a criminal, and the consequences of their actions are all about their treatment and care, with the goal of rehabilitating them so they can return back to the community. Offenders, like Matthew DeGrood, are treated in a secure psychiatric facility.

From there, status reviews by a panel of experts are conducted on an annual basis. They'll determine whether Matthew's mental health has changed over that time period and whether he still poses a risk to the community. After this, they can make decisions on whether he should get more freedoms. One example of how this plays out is Vincent Lee, the perpetrator of the Greyhound Bus Attack on Tim McClane in Manitoba in 2008. It was a very similar case. Vincent Lee had escalating paranoid delusions which led him to commit a vicious, unimaginable and unprovoked attack on an innocent bystander. The community watched in disbelief as Vincent was deemed not criminally responsible, put in a psychiatric facility and then worked his way to increasing freedoms before being given an absolute discharge less than seven years after the attack, with a helping hand and a new identity.

After this, he was left with no criminal record, so was able to travel internationally without any issue, and he doesn't have to report into anyone. No check-ins to see if he's taking his medication and no blood tests to prove it. Through this high-profile case, the families of Josh, Zach, Katie, Lawrence and Jordan had a clear picture of what lay ahead for Matthew DeGrood. But for their families, what lay ahead were annual reviews, where they were expected to weigh in each time with victim impact statements again and again, an exhaustive mentally draining process. Katie Parris' father, Greg, said that all five families have a life sentence now, quote, Our life sentence is to every year go to the mental health review board and try and make sure that this dangerous offender never gets out and has a chance to hurt anyone else. Just two months after Matthew's trial, the families were back for the first review hearing, ready to again put into words the immense impact the tragedy had on their lives. There was a publication ban imposed for this hearing, but it was known that the board heard updates on Matthew's treatment, including his progress, as well as what other freedoms and privileges he might be entitled to.

The second review hearing was held nine months later in April of 2017, three years after the stabbings and almost a year after Matthew was deemed not criminally responsible. The board has three options, continue treatment in a secure facility, grant a conditional discharge, or grant an absolute discharge. Matthew's forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Sergio Santana, said Matthew hadn't experienced any recent symptoms because he'd been successfully medicated with antidepressant and antipsychotic medication for schizophrenia. While he was characterized as being in full remission since 2014, Dr. Santana stressed that schizophrenia couldn't be cured, but it can be managed. He said that Matthew is considered at a low level for violent recidivism, that's the likelihood of reoffending, but that this was based on him staying in a hospital setting and taking his medication as instructed. Dr. Santana went on to say that a failure to take his medicine, combined with stresses, could lead to a relapse if he were outside a hospital setting. Matthew had been given a few privileges already, like supervised access to a computer with internet and email. His emails were not read. Dr. Santana recommended that Matthew be given the additional freedom to be allowed to walk around the hospital grounds, first escorted by two staff members, then one staff member, and then by himself, if it all goes well.

In support of this request, Matthew's lawyer read a statement at the hearing. He said his client understood the pain of the families who watched his every move throughout the hearing. It breaks my heart that the good times they had with their loved ones are over. They are shocked, deeply sad, fearful and angry over what I've done through my illness. They may not care that I am a schizophrenic. The act of killing five innocent people and putting their families through that agony is unconscionable. To them, I'm either a very evil person or a psychotic individual who is dangerous and can't be trusted. It pains me greatly to hear what the victims' families are going through. I am aware that I did something very wrong and I hope they can understand that I am very sorry. Then, family members of the victims, again, read victim impact statements, desperately hoping that they would have some bearing on the review board's decision. Over 20 statements were read. Ronda Lee Rathwell, Zach's mum, said that as she was starting to heal, she was told to prepare for the review hearing, quote, almost as if a scab had formed over the pain, and then this review came and that scab was torn off.

Jordan Segura's mother Patty said that Matthew didn't look at her at all during the last hearing. He was, however, looking at her now when she said, The justice system has made me feel completely invisible. Lawrence Hong's mother, Marlene, said she felt guilty that they weren't able to protect him. And Josh Hunter's father, Barclay, said, Every new day brings reminders of the enormity of our loss. In response to Matthew saying he was sorry, Ronda Lee Rathwell said to the media that if he really was and didn't want history to repeat itself, he should voluntarily commit himself to be institutionalized or stay hospitalized forever, because, quote, He cannot tell the difference between the voices in his head and reality, and when he doesn't, he kills people quickly and efficiently. The families were notified via email that the board had made their decision to allow Matthew the additional freedoms.

He was now allowed to go for supervised walks on the ground in areas that were unfenced. He was also given permission to go to Calgary for medical visits. The board also said that he could be transferred to a larger facility at Alberta Hospital Edmonton. Despite these freedoms, the board did say that Matthew was, quote, a significant threat to the safety of the public and is not entitled to an absolute discharge. Forensic psychiatrist Dr Patrick Bailey said, It's not up to the patient to prove that he isn't a risk, rather it's up to the board to find evidence that he is a risk, and if they don't find any risk, then they're compelled to provide an absolute discharge.

After this hearing, the family members felt compelled to issue another statement. Greg Parris, the father of Katie Parris, wrote, We are now three years into this journey and our unwilling participants in a process that, to us, makes little sense and only adds to our nightmare. We hold on to the hope that our involvement in the review board process will bring some healing and that our voices will be heard, but regrettably, that is not our experience. He pointed out that they were not told that the grounds Matthew was asking to be able to walk in were unfenced. Remember, the final phase of his freedom was being able to walk around the grounds by himself. Greg went on to say that the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatric Centre, where Matthew was staying,

is located within walking distance to a number of communities and shopping malls. Quote, The idea that a person responsible for killing five people is allowed to walk the unfenced grounds of this facility without any security personnel is beyond belief. The family said they wanted Matthew DeGrood hospitalised indefinitely and the designation of high risk NCR applied to him. This designation would mean that he would get a review hearing every three years instead of every one year. The families were told that this high risk designation was the next step, but it needed to be pursued by the Crown and as yet, no steps had been taken. In September of 2018, the next review hearing was held. The family members had to show up with victim impact statements for a third time,

a fourth if you count the tributes they'd given at Matthew's trial. Members of his treatment team testified about both his progress and potential risk to the community. He was described as a model patient. Dr Sergio Santana again said that in his opinion, Matthew Schizophrenia is in full remission. When pressed though, he admitted that Matthew posed a significant risk to public safety if he were not on his medication and receiving regular treatment at this time. And if he were to relapse, the results would be catastrophic. But the Board made its decision allowing Matthew the privilege of being able to take escorted trips into the community

with the possibility of being allowed to live in a half-way house. Simply put, this was the first of Matthew's steps into being released back into the community. The families of the five victims again left the hearing bitterly disappointed. Barclay Hunter, father of victim Joshua Hunter, had resigned himself to the Board's decision, saying that it came as no surprise. He told the media he believes the hearings are nonsense and that the families of the victims actually carry no weight. Quote, Me going up and sharing my story of grief and tragedy of losing my son doesn't, in my opinion, have any impact on what the review board is going to do.

The families felt so strongly that they decided to release another statement. They said that at that day's hearing, quote, It was made clear that Matthew DeGroote's treatment team is moving quickly to advance this process of reintegrating him into society, including the recommendation that he be granted privileges for day visits to various locations in Calgary. 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. Your children will be at those malls in very close proximity to a multiple murderer. We, the five families of Lawrence Hong, Joshua Hunter, Katie Parris, Zachariah Rathwell and Jordan Segura,

remain steadfast in our position that Matthew DeGroote should be institutionalised indefinitely, and we urge the Alberta Review Board to recognise the risk of him being released into society in any capacity is far too great. We strongly defy anyone that suggests this risk is manageable or acceptable. They spoke about how the community now knows what Matthew's capable of doing, regardless of his mental health now or in the future, quote, He needs to be treated fairly, humanely and receive care for his illness, but at no point should he ever be allowed to walk freely as a member of our community. He lost that right when he savagely murdered five amazing young people, a crime that remains unprecedented in our city.

The family said there's no cure for schizophrenia and no guarantee that Matthew would continue to take his medication if he were ever unsupervised, quote, 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 DeGroote is held in full custody on a permanent basis. The following month, October 2018, it was announced that Matthew would be moving from Calgary to a secure facility in Edmonton. He was receiving some backlash from the community in Calgary. For example, a dentist canceled his appointment to avoid negative attention. According to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Patrick Bailey, the board's decision to move Matthew to Edmonton was a sensible one,

quote, You don't want to have a situation where members of the victim's families are bumping into him when he's on a community outing. That would be particularly distressing for them and probably for Matthew as well. But any thought for the families was again left as an afterthought because they found out about this move through the media. The Crown has the option of being able to notify them in advance but didn't. The ruling itself stated several things that upset the families. It said it would be in the best interest of public safety to have Matthew transferred to an Edmonton hospital, but went on to say that while the victims and their families are members of the public, they do not constitute the body politic of the public, quote,

It is the safety of the public at large that is to be considered and that body should be presumed to consist of rational and reasonable individuals who being fully informed will act reasonably. Another of the reasons for moving Matthew to Edmonton, the board wrote, is because it's a more benign or less toxic community environment. The ruling noted that the fear was not of harm from Matthew, quote, rather the fear was externalised to what the general community might think or do if it became known that DeGrood had received treatment at the clinic. Greg Parris, Katie's father, said that he felt the victims are unimportant and forgotten, quote, The Alberta Review Board, who's supposed to be impartial, unbiased and inquisitorial,

was insensitive and disrespectful to the victims at the most recent hearing. The board also wrote that the concerns, fears and anger of the victims are not significant to the outcome for DeGrood. The logical conclusion from this is that the victim impact statements do not matter and therefore the victims do not matter. The entire group of families issued an official response to Matthew's increasing freedoms saying they were facing a living nightmare that was becoming closer to reality, quote, A nightmare that would see the killer who changed our lives forever walk as a free man in the very community that he destroyed. They spoke about the review hearing process saying it was complicated, unclear and had more concerns for the family and future of Matthew DeGrood than for the families who are still trying to rebuild their lives left in the wake of his crimes, quote, The entirety of the process is deeply flawed.

No one within the process, including Crown Prosecutors, Government and the Alberta Review Board, works on behalf of the victims. We are on our own to navigate a skewed process towards the perpetrator and only public support and outrage towards the recommendations will be the catalyst to illicit change in the NCR process. The statement went on to say, Albertans cannot have faith in a process when unaccountable appointments who make up our review boards keep coming to the conclusion to give more rights to Matthew DeGrood than to our families who have to live with this. This review board has demonstrated that it does not care about the victims, does not care about the crime and only cares about the murderer. It is unacceptable. They said that they objected to any further freedoms being given to Matthew DeGrood and because there is no appeal process available after a review board decision, they asked the Minister of Justice to file one.

As yet, there has been no action on this nor has there been any movement from the Crown in pursuing a high-risk NCR designation. At this point, the families feel completely deflated and helpless. Today, April 15, 2019, the day this episode is released, is the five-year anniversary of the deaths of Katie Parris, Josh Hunter, Jordan Segura, Lawrence Hong and Zach Rathwell. As well as fighting for justice on behalf of their loved ones, the families have come together to plan a special project in their honour. Named the Quintera Legacy Garden, it's designed to be a special musical garden and performance stage with interactive musical and play elements, along with a 30-foot wide stage for programming such as music, dance, theatre, spoken word, yoga and healing circles. The garden is designed to celebrate the spirit and passions of the five who lost their lives in Calgary's worst mass murder, as well as providing a way to help the community and to say thanks for the generosity of Calgarians.

The space is South Glenmore Park and will be a lively musical creative space to heal, remember and enjoy. More importantly to this though, the plans for the garden keep the families focused on something positive. The constant review board hearings really take it out of them and each time one is held, they experience setbacks in their journey towards healing. Planning the garden focuses their energies back on celebrating the lives of their loved ones and the memories that they hold dear. But always sitting in the background is the prospect of the next annual review hearing. It certainly is a life sentence for the families of Katie, Josh, Jordan, Lawrence and Zach. Thanks for listening and a huge thank you to Cam Larroway for your help, guidance and advice with this episode. There's a fundraiser to help the families reach their goal.

If you'd like to donate towards the Quintera Legacy Garden in Calgary, you'll find a link in the show notes and also on my website in the news section. That's canadiantruecrime.ca. Thanks also to Suzanne St John for researching this episode. I know the show isn't perfect but I'm always trying to improve it, always. If you like my efforts, you could support me in a few ways. Firstly, tell a friend. If everyone told a friend, my audience would double. You could also leave me a positive review on iTunes or the app that you're listening on.

You could follow me on social media, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Just search for canadiantruecrime. Or if you wanted to support me financially, you can get ad-free versions of my episodes mostly early and every so often I do bonus content too. That's just $2 a month. To read more on all the ways you can support the show, if you want to, just go to canadiantruecrime.ca. This week's podcast suggestion is Obscura. This is Justin from Obscura, a true crime podcast. Do you like single-host narrative-driven true crime that isn't afraid to get graphic?

On Obscura, we paint a picture of the lives of the criminals and victims before telling a story of the crime and how it unfolded. Add atmospheric production and audio clips such as 911 calls and you have an idea of what we're about. If that intrigues you, type Obscura, true crime into your favorite podcatcher. You can't miss our logo and we'll see you by the fire. This episode of Canadian True Crime was written by me, researched by Suzanne St John, and audio production was by Eric Crosby and me. The host of the Beyond Bazaar True Crime podcast voiced the disclaimer and the Canadian True Crime intro song was written by We Talk of Dreams. I'll be back soon with another Canadian True Crime story. See you then. Add atmospheric production and audio clips such as 911 calls and you have an idea of what we're about.

Add atmospheric production and audio clips such as 911 calls and you have an idea of what we're about.