WARNING: this article contains content related to domestic violence (gender-based violence), which may be distressing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.
A Vernon pharmacist has been released on day parole one year into the four-year sentence he received for killing his partner, sparking outrage from a local society that advocates for victims of domestic violence.
Shaun Ross Wiebe, 46, was convicted of manslaughter in June 2023 in connection to the death of his partner, 37-year-old Heather Barker, who died at Vernon Jubilee Hospital after being found unresponsive in a home at The Rise in Vernon.
The Parole Board of Canada denied Wiebe full parole, but granted him six months of day parole on June 27. Under day parole, Wiebe will be allowed to enter the public but must return to prison or a halfway house nightly.
The case dates back to March 2018, when Wiebe was living with Barker at The Rise. One night, Wiebe accused Barker of taking narcotics from the pharmacy safe and demanded to look in her purse. He wound up grabbing her hair, throwing her onto the ground, jumping onto her and repeatedly smashing her head against the floor.
The last thing Wiebe said he recalled Barker saying was that he was going to end up killing her.
Under his day parole conditions, Wiebe is not allowed to leave the Greater Victoria area, contact family members of the victim or consume alcohol or drugs. He must also follow a treatment program and report any new intimate relationships or friendships with women to his parole supervisor.
The Parole Board documents say Wiebe is unlikely to commit an offence within three years of his release, but his risk to commit intimate partner violence remains high.
The Parole Board noted Wiebe had a history of violence against intimate partners.
"In 2005, a charge for assault against your first wife was not approved. The relationship with your second wife was quite tumultuous and you were convicted of Assault in 2013," the documents state, adding he was arrested for assault and mischief in June 2020 against a woman he'd married that year.
Vernon's Archway Society for Domestic Peace said on its website that it is "profoundly dismayed and frankly furious" with the decision to release Wiebe on day parole.
"The severity of this crime and the impact on Heather害羞草研究所檚 family and friends cannot be overstated. It is hard to accept this decision in light of the seriousness of the crime committed and its lasting effects on Heather害羞草研究所檚 loved ones," Archway said.
In a press release, Archway said it was "profoundly disappointed" with the the original sentence Justice Alison Beames handed Wiebe, and is even more disappointed with the Parole Board's decision, calling his release "a lenient punishment for such a grave crime, and an injustice to (Barker's) family and friends."
Archway said the day parole does not prioritize public safety, specifically the safety of women.
"Granting early release and day parole to him sends a distressing message about accountability and the value of human life, and again, specifically the value of the lives of women." the society said. "It also sends a dangerous message to offenders about the minimal punishment that will be levied in these cases."
Archway said the early day parole is "likely to reopen wounds and bring back painful memories" for Barker's family.
The society issued a reminder about the rate of femicide in the North Okanagan, listing the names of slain women in the region: Taylor van Diest (2011), Traci Genereaux (2017), Heather Barker (2018), Ashley Simpson (2021), Ashley Wadsworth (2022), Tatjana Stefanski (2024) and Tina Mackenzie (2024).
Archway also listed the following missing women: Caitlin Potts (missing since 2016), Deanna Wertz (missing since 2016) and Nicole Bell (missing since 2017).
Archway offers wrap-around support for people experiencing domestic violence, including a safe shelter for women choosing to leave their partners, support to find permanent housing and help navigating the justice system. It also has services for women choosing to stay in their relationships.
If you or someone you know has been harmed by domestic violence (gender-based violence), contact Archway Society for Domestic Peace at 250-542-1122 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
