Day parole continues for man convicted in Tsawwassen murders

Photo: Glacier Media

A man convicted in the case of a gruesome double murder in Tsawwassen three decades ago has been granted further day parole for six months with special conditions imposed.

The Parole Board of Canada, however, has once again not granted full parole to Derek Lord.

Lord and friend David Muir were hired by Darren Huenemann to kill his mother and grandmother, Sharon Huenemann and Doris Leatherbarrow, so Huenemann could get a multimillion-dollar inheritance.

The three teens lived in Saanich at the time of the murder and at trial the prosecution argued that on Oct. 5, 1990, Huenemann and his girlfriend dropped Lord and Muir off at the ferry terminal.

The pair then went to Leatherbarrow's Tsawwassen home and, after being invited in for dinner by the two women, bludgeoned and stabbed them to death. They killers attempted to make the crime scene appear as a robbery.

The two teens then took the ferry home and were picked up by Huenemann and his girlfriend.

All three were convicted in 1992.

Lord, who turns 50 this year, and Muir were both sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years. Huenemann received a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years

After his conviction, Muir, who pleaded not guilty at trial, admitted his role in the murders and has been out on parole for years. He was granted day parole in April 2002 and full parole a year later.

The board granted Lord day parole in March 2020 and that has been continued at six-month intervals.

Lord also continues to claim he is innocent, something noted by the parole board.

His continued conditions include having no direct or indirect contact with the victims’ families including extended family members.

In its latest decision on the continuation of Lord’s day parole release and on the recommendation to authorize extended leave privileges, the parole board noted, “For a continuation of day parole, the Board must determine whether or not your continued release will constitute an undue risk to society and whether it will contribute to the protection of society by facilitating your reintegration as a law-abiding citizen.

“The case management team are also recommending a graduated program of extended leave privileges beginning with a two month period of six days outside to the community residential facility and one day at the CRF, then a two-month period of eight days out of the CRF and two days in the CRF and then transitioning to 10 days out of the CRF and two days in the CRF. The time spent outside of the CRF will be at your family home with your wife and child.”