The friends of a 14-year-old boy who was sexually assaulted and murdered nearly 40 years ago say the decision to grant his killer unescorted passes from prison is wrong and could compromise public safety.
Darren Scott Ray, now 65, was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Darren Pepin in 1987 and handed a life sentence.
However, earlier this month Ray was released from prison on a 72-hour unescorted pass to visit a community-based residential facility in Oshawa, Ont. He has also been given two more temporary absences to use following a decision by the Parole Board of Canada in January.
“I was so angry. Like this was my community and he was allowed in my community and it’s not right. Somebody who is a violent offender, even manageable risk is too high a risk,” Susan Thom, a friend of Pepin, told CTV News Toronto on Monday.
Pepin was tortured, sexually assaulted, and killed in 1986, shortly after starting high school.
On Wednesday, it will be 40 years since his murder.
Thom said that Pepin was “a great guy” who was “taken far too soon.”
Kim Oystrick-Hamilton, another friend, added that his murder was “shocking” to the entire community.
“I couldn’t believe it. It was like, no, not in our school, how could this happen?” she said.
At the time of Ray’s release, Durham Regional Police Service issued a warning about the high-risk offender being out of custody, but the women along with a local councillor are calling for advanced notice.
‘Every municipality should be notified’
“Any time a high-risk offender is being released from prison, every municipality should be notified,” said Whitby Regional Councillor Chris Leahy.
On Monday night, Leahy brought a motion to Whitby city council calling for the Parole Board of Canada to make advance notice for high-risk offender releases a policy.
He says they also have a petition they’re trying to get more signatures for, which he plans to bring to the federal Minister of Public Safety’s office.
“We plan to present the Minister of Public Safety for Canada, the federal government to advocate for that change, not only to review the decision on letting this person out of parole but making this change so that municipalities can be notified,” said Leahy.
Both Thom and Oystrick-Hamilton added their voices to the motions by speaking at council, saying they’ve got their friend’s back.
“Something’s got to be done about this. (Darren Scott Ray) can’t be roaming the streets, this is wrong. Why should he be enjoying his life when Darren never got that chance?” Oystrick-Hamilton said.
Though it will have been 40 years since his death on Wednesday, the women still speak about Pepin often.
“He always had a smile on his face. Friendly with everybody. Nobody was unkind to him. He was just a lovely, lovely kid,” Thom shared.
It is not known at this time when Ray’s next two releases are set to take place, or where, except that they must be used within 12 months.
