The man convicted in the 1991 murder of an Okotoks teen has been granted day parole, to the disappointment of the victim’s family.
Tristan Ryan, formerly Bradley Paetsch, was convicted of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 16-year-old Stephanie Spooner in her Okotoks home on Jan. 23, 1991.
The Parole Board of Canada granted day parole following an in-person hearing on March 7, allowing Ryan to stay at a residential facility for six months.
Robin Spooner, related to the victim's family through marriage, called the decision a “huge disappointment" for the family.
“We’re extremely disappointed by the parole board,” she said, "especially the fact that they are granting him day parole into a halfway house in Calgary.”
She said there are numerous victim impact statements on file asking that Ryan be kept out of the city due to its proximity to Okotoks.
“There's no reason why they couldn't have put him in a halfway house somewhere else,” she said. “The fact that they granted him being paroled into Calgary is disgusting.”
She said after six months, a review will be held to determine whether to grant the offender full parole.
Ryan was 18 when he committed the murder of his ex-girlfriend and had served six months in a juvenile facility for attempting to stab her a year prior. He is now 51.
He had been given full parole in 2018, after serving 27 years of a life sentence, but it was revoked 13 months later for violations.
“It was rescinded because he did not abide by the restrictions that were put in place,” Spooner said.
A subsequent request for day parole was denied in 2022. In that decision, Parole Board of Canada members said Ryan needed to demonstrate his ability to consistently use coping skills and manage struggles with drug use.
In the most recent decision, the Correctional Services of Canada said Ryan followed rules at the minimum-security facility where he was housed, has completed recommended programming and has a realistic plan for release. The parole board said Ryan has shown insight into his risk factors and has made sufficient gains managing his emotions.
Ryan must abide by conditions that include no contact with the victim’s family and an order to report any relationships or friendships with females to his parole officer. He must also not consume alcohol or drugs for the duration of his release.
Spooner said the family is against any sort of parole for Ryan.
“He's shown time and time again he can't follow the rules,” she said.
