Convicted of a brutal murder he still denies he did, Walter Raymond Anderson has been approved for a 72-hour escorted absence from prison.
Anderson, 49, applied for the absence under compassionate grounds. He intends to visit a person he is close with who is terminally ill. The Parole Board of Canada did not disclose the person’s identity.
Anderson was sentenced to life in prison for second degree murder in March 2007.
On Sept. 17, 2004, Anderson stabbed Kenny Gibson at the Bentley Hotel. Gibson, 69, worked a cleaning job at the hotel and tavern after business hours.
Prosecutors claimed Anderson tricked Gibson into letting him into the hotel late that night. He then suck punched Gibson in the face and knocked him out.
Gibson was beaten, stabbed once in the heart and strangled. Anderson robbed the hotel safe of about $4,200.
The Parole Board of Canada ruled on Feb. 26 that Anderson should be granted a three day escorted absence from prison. During his absence he will be accompanied by two correctional officers and will be house at RCMP Barracks in the evenings.
Anderson has been upset about the declining health of the person to whom he is close.
Anderson becomes eligible for day parole in 2018 and would be eligible for full parole in 2021.
The parole board noted even though he has consistently maintained his innocence, the case management team said it has not impacted his adjustment to incarceration.
Anderson has enlisted the help of the Association in Defence of the Wrongfully Accused.
The parole board said the most recent assessment indicates Anderson is a low risk to re-offend in a violent manner and is a 20 per cent risk of recidivism, re-offender, a low score.
mcrawford@www.reddeeradvocate.com