Murder of Winnipeg group home manager prompts changes to statutory release reviews
Ricardo Hibi died after being stabbed by Kane Moar shortly after he was released from prison
The Correctional Service of Canada has recommended changes to its policies after the 2018 murder of a Winnipeg group home manager, who was killed by a man on statutory release.
Kane Moar received statutory release on Oct. 7, 2018, although parole and corrections officials knew at the time he was likely to be charged with second-degree murder in the August 2018 killing of another inmate at Stony Mountain prison.
On Dec. 17, 2018, Moar stabbed and killed 34-year-old Ricardo Hibi, a father and the manager of a group home for young at-risk men.
"How and why did you let this happen?" Hibi's friend, Tyler Rogers, said of the decision by corrections and parole officials to let Moar out of prison.
In most cases, Corrections Canada must release offenders after they have served two-thirds of their sentence.
Despite Moar's history of violence and his pending indictment in the death of the Stony Mountain inmate, the officials had difficulty deciding whether they could keep him locked up, according to a Correctional Service of Canada report obtained by CBC News through an access to information request.
However, the Parole Board of Canada "has since clarified that it is not necessary for an inmate to be charged to be referred for detention," according to the report, which was completed prior to Moar's trial for Hibi's murder.
As part of the conditions of his release, Moar was ordered to stay at a halfway house, but he left on Oct. 19, 2018, less than two weeks after his release from prison. He was declared unlawfully at large.
Moar was found guilty last year of second-degree murder in Hibi's killing and received a life sentence with no chance of parole for 15 years.
Police also charged Moar in connection with the August 2018 killing of his fellow inmate at Stony Mountain.
He was initially charged with second-degree murder in the death of Adam Kent Monias at the prison. Moar pleaded guilty to assault in that case and was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Dec. 20, 2019.
Statutory release
Candace Woloshyn, the mother of Hibi's son, had been planning for the couple's wedding before his death.
"I just want to know why — why did they let him out?" she told CBC News in April 2019, after Moar was charged with second-degree murder in the Stony Mountain killing.
"This could have been prevented in so many ways."
In a statement to CBC News, the Parole Board of Canada said it is limited to imposing conditions on an offender's statutory release unless the correctional service recommends detaining them until the end of their sentence.
"By law, the PBC cannot act unilaterally in conducting a detention review for an offender's statutory release," the parole board said. "In this instance, a detention review was not put forward by CSC."
After its internal investigation, Corrections Canada found nothing to indicate that Moar would go on to kill Hibi, but it identified several contributing risk factors.
It recommended ordering a secondary review before an inmate's statutory release whenever new information arises involving serious harm or death.
"This would ensure that in incidents involving serious harm or death that the warden would have the final say on whether or not a referral for detention is required," the report said.
It also recommended a review of all available options for case management staff and wardens to guide decisions on release after a violent incident while there is an active police investigation, and where there is a likelihood of criminal charges.
The Correctional Service of Canada told CBC News that it is in the process of updating its policies to make sure staff are aware of the options they have in making a recommendation to the parole board on keeping an inmate in prison for the remainder of their sentence.
'Anger and frustration'
Rogers said he is still coming to grips with the death of his childhood friend, whom he had known since they went to high school together and lived on the same street.
"He was the glue that held so many of us together," Rogers said. "He was super energetic and his laugh was the funniest thing in the world."
At the time of Hibi's death, Rogers said he felt "anger and frustration," especially after learning that Moar's parole officer had told him he would likely be charged in the Stony Mountain inmate's death. Moar left the halfway house shortly after.
The results of the correctional service's review provide no comfort for Rogers. Rather, they raise more questions.
"It's hard to wrap your mind around somebody dying. It's harder to wrap your mind around somebody being murdered and then having this be the reality of the situation, and understanding that they could have prevented it.
"It just brings back all that anger, brings back all that frustration."
WATCH | Murder of Winnipeg group home manager prompts statutory release changes
Corrections
- A previous version of this article said Kane Moar had been sentenced to 15 years for the murder of Ricardo Hibi. In fact, he was given a life sentence with no chance of parole for 15 years.Jul 21, 2021 10:07 AM CT
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