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The man who killed 10-year-old Heather Thomas in Cloverdale more than two decades ago is at 乌鸦传媒渁verage乌鸦传媒� risk to reoffend sexually, according to a Parole Board decision granting his request for Escorted Temporary Absences (ETAs) from custody.

Shane Robert Ertmoed, 43, applied for the ETAs on April 7, for the purpose of completing community service.

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In a letter accompanying the application, he apologized for his actions 乌鸦传媒� which included abducting, sexually assaulting and strangling Heather, then concocting an alibi before dumping her body in a lake 乌鸦传媒� and provided insight into them, the decision states.

Serving a life sentence for first-degree murder, Ertmoed told the board that leading up to Heather乌鸦传媒檚 Oct. 1, 2000 murder, he was dealing with 乌鸦传媒渁 combination of life stressors乌鸦传媒� that included financial, social, immaturity, isolation, boredom, preoccupation with sex, deviant thoughts, panic and selfishness, the decision states.

Upon arrest, Ertmoed confessed and provided a detailed description of the murder. He then recanted and appealed, maintaining his innocence until the appeal was dismissed.

The parole-board decision, rendered May 4, notes that the board weighed the severity of Ertmoed乌鸦传媒檚 crime, and that his actions 乌鸦传媒渟how capability for extreme violence.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淵ou planned the abduction of a random young girl for the purpose of sexual assault and you carried this out. When events did not go as you expected, you killed your victim, and then took measures to avoid being caught,乌鸦传媒� it reads.

乌鸦传媒淭hese static factors will always be aggravating in the Board乌鸦传媒檚 assessment of your case. You took an innocent life and your actions have had a profound negative impact on family members and others.乌鸦传媒�

The written decision also notes that information on file regarding Ertmoed, dating back to nine years before Heather乌鸦传媒檚 death, states he had demonstrated sexually inappropriate behaviour as a youth towards young girls.

Reports included that he had lifted a girl乌鸦传媒檚 skirt and touched her; grabbed two girls and rubbed himself against them; placed his hand on a girl乌鸦传媒檚 thigh on the school bus; sent a sexually explicit letter, described as 乌鸦传媒渢hreatening,乌鸦传媒� to a female teacher detailing sexual acts he wanted to perform on her; broke into the home of a female co-worker who had spurned his advances; and sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl that he and his girlfriend were babysitting. The latter occurred four times over the course of one evening.

Heather乌鸦传媒檚 mother, Jody Aspin, and Heather乌鸦传媒檚 childhood best friend Katherine Charette spoke at the May 4 hearing, registering their opposition to Ertmoed乌鸦传媒檚 request.

In Aspin乌鸦传媒檚 statement 乌鸦传媒� shared that afternoon with Peace Arch News 乌鸦传媒� she told the board that Ertmoed 乌鸦传媒渘ot only took my daughter乌鸦传媒檚 life, he took mine.乌鸦传媒�

She said Ertmoed乌鸦传媒檚 rights died with her daughter and appealed to the board to stop allowing him to continue victimizing her and her family.

She told PAN that the board乌鸦传媒檚 decision was 乌鸦传媒渂eyond disappointing.乌鸦传媒�

In the written decision 乌鸦传媒� released to PAN Thursday (May 13) afternoon 乌鸦传媒� the board said mitigating factors they weighed included that Ertmoed has now served approximately 20 years in custody, and that he has accepted both responsibility for the crime and a correctional plan. As well, he乌鸦传媒檚 earned minimum-security classification, and shown 乌鸦传媒渟trong motivation乌鸦传媒� by completing and showing benefit from programming objectives.

The board 乌鸦传媒渟aw evidence of this progress乌鸦传媒� at the hearing, the decision continues.

乌鸦传媒淵ou provided examples of how your thinking has changed and how you use skills and concepts from programming. The Board finds that you have used your time in the institution productively. You have made significant progress, and this progress has resulted in risk reduction.乌鸦传媒�

Letters of support for Ertmoed that the board also considered included one from a retired police officer.

乌鸦传媒淭he Board finds that you will not, by reoffending, present an undue risk to society during the ETAs,乌鸦传媒� the decision states. 乌鸦传媒淚t is desirable for you to be absent from the penitentiary, your behaviour while under sentence does not preclude approval, and a structured plan has been prepared.乌鸦传媒�

The ETAs were approved for one year, starting after COVID-19 restrictions lift. They are for up to five days per week, Monday through Friday, for no more than eight hours per day, and physical restraints will not be required.

Conditions attached include that Ertmoed have no contact with children, any of Heather乌鸦传媒檚 family members or a person identified as 乌鸦传媒淜.C.乌鸦传媒�