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A former Vernon pharmacist who killed his partner has been granted extended leave from his day parole facility by the Parole Board of Canada.
Shaun Wiebe pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2023 in relation to the 2018 death of his common law partner, Heather Barker. He was sentenced to four years in jail minus time served in custody, but was a year into his sentence in June 2024.
Barker was killed in The Rise neighbourhood after Wiebe accused her of taking narcotics from a safe from Wiebe's Pharmacy, his business at the time, where she also worked. Wiebe grabbed her by the hair, threw her to the ground, jumped onto her and repeatedly smashed her head against the floor 鈥� details shared by Justice Alison Beames upon in June 2023.
In February the Parole Board Wiebe another six months of day parole with overnight leave privileges and special conditions imposed. Under day parole, Wiebe is allowed to enter the public but must return to a community residential facility in the Greater Victoria area every night. Wiebe's case management team noted that while he had abided by his parole conditions, his attitude came off as "entitled."
In a decision made March 26 and shared on Tuesday, April 8, the Parole Board has granted Wiebe extended leave from the community residential facility for up to 10 days for compassionate purposes.
"The Board is satisfied that by extending leave privileges for up to 10 days to allow you to join your family (redacted) will not compromise public safety," the Board said in its decision.
"(Redacted) have been an important source of support for you and by attending these events you will have an opportunity to strengthen family relationships which will in turn support your reintegration," the documents state.
The Parole Board said the decision to grant extended leave privileges is based on Wiebe's "generally positive behaviour" in the community while he has been on day parole, as there have been no breaches of special or general conditions and Wiebe has complied with supervision requirements.
"Though there were some concerns about your attitude during the first term of day parole these were addressed successfully, and your behaviour has improved," the decision states. "Importantly, you have continued to address the key risk issues related to your offending. These considerations suggest that you are likely to observe your responsibilities and obligations on this period of extended leave."
The Board found there were no proximity concerns with respect to the victims and therefore little chance of unwanted contact.
Wiebe has a history of violence against intimate partners that goes beyond his killing of Barker, and the Parole Board said he is a high risk to re-offend against an intimate partner, though he is a low risk to offend against someone who is not an intimate partner.
This is not the first time Wiebe has been granted leave. Over the December holidays he was authorized to travel to see see family members in another province, according to the documents.
The Board said Wiebe's "entitled, argumentative and pushy" attitude has improved.
