Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
In a hearing Wednesday morning, a Parole Board of Canada panel granted Melissa Todorovic, now in her early 30s, four 15-day unescorted absences to a halfway house.
During the hearing, Todorovic argued longer absences would help her better prepare for day parole and her eventual reintegration in the community.
She said the 72-hour unescorted absences she completed in the past were too short, leaving her ill-equipped and "overwhelmed" on day parole, which was then revoked after a few months.
Todorovic was convicted of first-degree murder in 2009 for ordering her then-boyfriend, David Bagshaw, to kill 14-year-old Stefanie Rengel. Both of them were sentenced to life in prison, but Todorovic was able to apply for parole after seven years.
Todorovic, who was 15 at the time, grew jealous of Rengel because the girl had briefly dated Bagshaw years earlier. She repeatedly threatened to end her relationship with Bagshaw or withhold sex unless he killed Rengel.
Bagshaw eventually stabbed Rengel multiple times on New Year's Day 2008 in Toronto.
In 2018, Todorovic was granted six months of day parole, but she was brought back to prison early after the parole board found she was involved in a secret love triangle.
The board found she had breached a condition of her release that required her to disclose any new relationships. The condition was imposed because unhealthy relationships played a central role in the murder.
Her day parole was eventually revoked and Todorovic's appeal of the ruling was dismissed.
The same condition -- that Todorovic report any relationships or friendships to her supervision team -- was among those imposed Wednesday for the unescorted temporary absences.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Speaker kicks Poilievre out of Commons over unparliamentary comments
Speaker Greg Fergus kicked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre out of the House of Commons during question period today.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
Judge raises threat of jail in hush money trial as he holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
Court upholds Milwaukee police officer's firing for posting racist memes after Sterling Brown arrest
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a former Milwaukee police officer was properly fired for posting racist memes related to the arrest of an NBA player that triggered a public outcry.
Witness details deadly wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A driver who witnessed a wrong-way police pursuit on Highway 401 moments before a fatal crash said he was hoping the chase would have been called off before lives were lost.