Parole Board Grants Unescorted Absence to Surrey Child Killer Over Staff Objections

The Parole Board of Canada has granted a 60-day unescorted temporary absence to Shane Robert Ertmoed, who was convicted of first-degree murder for the 2000 abduction, sexual assault, and killing of 10-year-old Heather Thomas in Surrey. The decision, dated September 2, allows Ertmoed to participate in a cooking program at a community residential facility for personal development.

The board concluded Ertmoed "will not pose an undue risk" of reoffending, a finding the case management team explicitly opposed. Staff stated his risk "cannot be managed safely on the proposed UTA," noting his offending was not driven by employment issues and cooking skills do not align with his stated goal of working as a plumber.

“Their view is that your risk cannot be managed safely on the proposed UTA”

The approval includes multiple special conditions considered necessary to protect society and the victims. Ertmoed is barred from contacting the victim's family, visiting over 30 B.C. municipalities and four other provinces, accessing pornography, possessing internet-capable devices without approval, and being near females under 18 without a vetted adult present.

Heather Thomas was lured into Ertmoed's apartment while playing outside her father's Cloverdale townhouse complex in October 2000. Her body was discovered three weeks later in Alouette Lake. Ertmoed confessed upon arrest and provided a detailed statement to police.