A 50-year-old man, who took part in a gruesome double-murder in Tsawwassen more than three decades ago, has been granted full parole.
Following a Parole Board hearing Thursday, Derek Lord was granted full parole but with conditions attached.
When his day parole was continued in January, a panel hearing was also ordered for a full parole review. That was held the following month and at that time he was denied.
After his bid for full parole was denied, Lord submitted a request to the Appeal Division to review the board’s decision.
The Appeal Division subsequently ordered a review of the Parole Board’s decision to deny full parole.
A new review was ordered by way of a hearing, as the Appeal Division determined that the board did not adequately demonstrate how it considered all available information and why full parole presented a higher risk to society.
Lord and his friend David Muir were hired in 1990 by Darren Huenemann to kill Huenemann’s mother and grandmother, Sharon Huenemann and Doris Leatherbarrow, so Huenemann could get an inheritance. The women were stabbed to death at their home after having invited the young men inside.
All three young men were convicted of first-degree murder in 1992.
Lord 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.
Lord was granted day parole with conditions in March 2020 and that had been continuing at six-month intervals.
Muir was granted day parole in April 2002 and full parole a year later.
Huenemann, who now goes by the name Darren Gowen, was granted day parole on six-month intervals starting August 2022.
Lord continues to claim his innocence.
The Optimist will have more on this story in the coming weeks, once the Parole Board releases its full report of today's (Aug. 1) hearing.
