Parole denied to teen killer, citing 'ongoing psychopathic traits'

Teen's 'psychopathic' killer denied parole One of Kimberly Proctor's killers was denied parole Wednesday as disturbing new details about the 16-year-old girl's murder were revealed.

One of two young men who brutally sexually assaulted and killed Vancouver Island teen Kimberly Proctor in 2010 has been denied day parole.

Kruse Wellwood had applied for day parole and escorted trips from the medium-security Mission Institution, where he currently resides.

The parole board said in its decision Wednesday that Wellwood still poses an undue risk to the public, even with a correctional officer escorting him.

The board also said a recent psychiatric evaluation determined he has “ongoing psychopathic traits.”

Wellwood and his co-accused, Cameron Moffatt, were 16 and 17 years old when they murdered 18-year-old Proctor in March 2010.

Moffat and Wellwood pleaded guilty and were sentenced to life in prison in 2011 with no chance of full parole for 10 years.

“It makes me feel sick that this monster is trying to walk our streets,” said Proctor's aunt, Jo-Anne Landolt, one of the victim's family members who spoke at the parole hearing.

“The only way Kruse Wellwood should be free to leave prison is in a bag,” Landolt said.

Proctor's body was discovered in March 2010 along the Galloping Goose Trail in Colwood.

Her father, Fred Proctor, told CTV News in May that he was "tormented" to learn that Wellwood's parole hearing, which was initially scheduled for June, had been postponed until August.

"This torment was already going to be almost six months long," Proctor said of the delay. "Now it’ll be eight months with this monkey on our backs before we can put this parole hearing behind us."

Proctor said at the time he felt "powerless" and "betrayed by the system" for subjecting families of victims to annual parole hearings.

"Our situation is made worse because of the fact there were two killers and thus far only one of them has applied for parole," he said. "We could be spending many years attending parole hearings."

Proctor's badly burned body was discovered March 19, 2010, but it took three days to identify her remains. An autopsy showed she died of asphyxiation from duct tape that was placed over her mouth.

Wellwood said he remembered calling Moffatt before the killing and they began “playing ideas off each other.”

“That’s when it became a lot more real,” Wellwood said.

“It was planned but I don’t think either of us considered the reality of it.”

Of the crime, Wellwood said: “I don’t like to talk about it, because it’s the worst thing I’ve ever done.” When asked why he degraded Proctor’s body, he responded he and Moffatt “had to go all the way.”

“We were going to check boxes,” he said. “We were going to make it worth our while. It was a part of the offence that added to the extremeness, the taboo.

“I know for myself it had to do with getting the gratification I was looking for,” Wellwood said, and added at the time he felt there was power in taking a life.

“It was an emptiness in my soul. I didn’t have a purpose in life,” Wellwood said. A priest who spoke in support of him at the hearing later said Wellwood has become an Orthodox Christian while in jail.

“I think I ultimately felt powerless,” Wellwood said.

“I wanted to be powerful.”

Wellwood told the parole board he doesn’t believe he is a sexual sadist or a psychopath. He said he no longer has “deviant” thoughts and fantasies.

Kimberly’s mother, Lucia Proctor, submitted a victim impact statement, which was read by an RCMP officer.

The statement questioned why Wellwood should be given the freedom to be heard and to be free.

Kimberly’s grandmother, Linda Proctor, wept as she read her statement, with Kimberly’s grandfather next to her.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t think about Kim and weep,” she cried, and added Kim had great plans for after graduation.

“I don’t think the public is safe from him.”

She also read a statement from her husband which read: “Please don’t let him out, as I fear for every young woman out here.”

Wellwood said he didn’t expect Proctor’s family would be supportive of any kind of release, but he hoped they would support him in becoming a better person.

“I’m sorry for what I’ve done,” he said, concluding his statement.

In delivering the day parole decision, board member Ian MacKenzie said he understands these hearings are difficult and acknowledged “there’s anger at the system.”

Before denying Wellwood’s request, MacKenzie noted he had the legal right to apply.

“You’ve got a lot more progress to make, in our view,” MacKenzie said. “You are capable of brutality that can’t be described.”

MacKenzie added Wellwood was “over-confident” in his ability to manage his risk, and added he didn’t see any emotion in his face during the victim impact statements.

Wellwood will be eligible to apply for full parole in June 2020. Moffatt has not yet made any parole applications.