‘This has to stop’: Mother of murdered Grey County man wants stricter release conditions for violent offenders

The mother of murdered Meaford man was denied a coroner’s inquest. With more on her plans to push forward, here’s CTV London’s Scott Miller.

Two weeks after being released from prison while awaiting trial and still on probation Matthew McQuarrie stabbed Emerson Sprung to death and buried his body in a shallow grave in a Meaford park.

Sprung’s mother Tracy Sprung wanted a coroner’s inquest into the circumstances surrounding her son’s 2020 death, and specifically why her son’s killer was released when he was. April 7, 2025, the Chief Coroner’s Office for Ontario denied her request for an inquest.

“This isn’t just about my son. This is about you know your friend your brother your sister your mother. It doesn’t matter who’s out. We’re all standing targets for these people that are being caught and released. The early releases of repeat violent offenders has to stop,” said Sprung.

Sprung is undeterred. She’s appealing the Coroner’s inquest denial and is pushing for an investigation into the early release of her son’s killer, and the release of thousands more potential criminals either awaiting trial or sentencing within the last several years.

“This has to stop. They’ve got to quit releasing people like this,” said Sprung.

Sprung not only wants a coroner’s inquest she’s pushing politicians to create ERB’S Law - named after her son Emerson Raymond Bauman Sprung, the policy would keep repeat violent offenders behind bars as they await trial or sentencing.

“What kind of game are they playing with their heads in the sand and allowing this to continue? They have the power to stop it today. You know, how much longer are we going to keep doing this?” said Sprung.

Despite there being only one successful appeal of a discretionary coroner’s inquest denial in the past 15 years, Sprung has already filed her appeal paperwork.

Her son’s killer Matthew McQuarrie is serving year one of his life sentence after pleading guilty to second degree murder last year. McQuarrie can’t apply for parole until 2039.

“We can save lives…. I want capture and remains not capture and release,” said Sprung.