A convicted murderer with a terminal illness has been granted full parole.
Wayne Alexander Perkin, 64, is serving a life sentence for the second-degree murder of Angela Richards.
Perkin, who lived with his wife across the hall from Richards’s Langley apartment, hit the 24-year-old woman over the head and stabbed her 12 times in 1992.
At the time, Perkin was on parole for aggravated sexual assault and unlawful confinement.
He was sentenced to life in June 1994 with no chance of parole for 18 years.
Last summer, Perkin was granted day parole for six months.
On day parole, Perkin maintained employment, completed a sex offender program, participated in aboriginal ceremonies and counselling, stayed sober, complied with the rules at his halfway house, and completed two overnight passes.
Because of his progress, the board continued his day parole Dec. 5.
Seventeen days later, he was granted full parole in an expedited decision.
Perkin was recently diagnosed with an inoperable terminal illness and his prognosis is “very grim.â€
Although the board remained concerned about the nature and gravity of Perkin’s offences, his release history, risk to re-offend, and relatively recent release on day parole, it also considered the progress he has made and his declining health and granted him full parole.
Perkin will no longer have to live in a halfway house, but will have to abide by a number of special conditions and report to a parole officer.
- Jennifer Saltman is a reporter with the Vancouver Province.