Man who killed Victoria teen is denied full parole

A man serving a life sentence for the second-degree murder of a Victoria teenager in June 2010 has been denied full parole.

At a recent video hearing, the Parole Board of Canada found Corey Barry is at moderate to high risk to reoffend and, if released, would present an undue risk to society.

Barry, 50, stabbed 15-year-old Justin Wendland in the heart and the chest in broad daylight on Douglas Street, then ran to the police station and told officers he was responsible for the stabbing. At sentencing, the judge found Barry intended to cause bodily harm to the young victim that would likely cause his death. He found Barry’s moral culpability to be high.

Wendland’s family is opposed to Barry’s release into the community.

At the hearing, board members reviewed victim impact statements that describe the family’s “immense grief” and ongoing psychological and emotional difficulties. Wendland’s mother Raj told of a tremendous void in her life that will never be filled and heartbreak that will never go away. His sister described her pain and loss as “unbearable.”

Before the murder, Barry was homeless and unemployed. He collected bottles and cans to support his drug habit. He was under the influence of prescription and illicit drugs when he killed the teenager.

The board found that Barry has a criminal history including drug offences, robbery and assault. In the past, he reoffended while serving a jail sentence in the community and struggled to abide by court conditions. He has been violent toward his partners and has been assessed as a high risk for intimate partner violence.

The most recent psychological assessment in December 2021 assessed Barry’s risk to reoffend in the moderate to high range. The psychologist was concerned about Barry’s limited insight into his criminal behaviours and his limited life skills. The psychologist believed Barry’s release on full parole would be premature and recommended that Barry continue to work on his risk factors and coping strategies in a more open and supportive environment such as minimum security.

Barry has applied for a transfer to a minimum security institution, a move supported by this case management team, the board noted in its decision. His behaviour in prison is described as positive. Barry is respectful of staff and other offenders and tends to keep to himself. He is president of the Alcoholics Anonymous group in the prison.

Barry accepts responsibility for the murder and has completed programming in prison which shows he is motivated to make changes, said the board. He is sober and is taking medication to address his mental health needs and has been making steady progress during his incarceration.

“Despite the positive factors … the board does not lose sight of the nature and gravity of the offence that took the life of a young man. Your actions were unpredictable and demonstrated you are capable of inflicting fatal violence. It was clear to the board from the heartrending victim impact statements that the victim’s family continues to suffer from the harm caused by your actions.”

Barry needs additional work to adequately address his risk factors, the board concluded.