The Parole Board of Canada has denied full parole to a former Prince George man serving a life sentence for first degree murder in the 1995 death of a woman on a northern B.C. ranch, but has allowed him to remain on day parole at a halfway house for a further six months.
David Mostyn Pritchard, 51, had been on day parole for three months when the extension was granted Oct. 30. His eligibility for day parole was actually not until March 2020 but because he suffers from a terminal illness, he was granted day parole by exception beginning Aug. 5.
Following a lengthy trial, Pritchard was found guilty on Dec. 14, 2002 of murdering Pirkko Skolos in Topley, about 275 kilometres west of Prince George, sometime between Nov. 23 and 24, 1995.
Crown prosecution alleged Pritchard shot and killed Skolos for 13 kilograms of marijuana, worth $80,000.
Like he has since his arrest, Pritchard has continued to deny he committed the offence. He has said he helped his friend rob Skolos and bury the body off East Shelley Road, but said his cohort actually killed her.
Despite numerous searches for the gravesite, her body was never found. But at the start of his hearing, Pritchard's lawyer provided a letter that "addresses the excavation of the burial site of the victim," according to a parole board decision.
"You indicated that the victim's family would benefit from locating the remains and it would shed new evidence that would support your claim that you did not murder the victim," the report said.
According to psychological assessments conducted during his time behind bars, Pritchard has met the criteria for psychopathy and has been described as "manipulative, grandiose and egocentric," the report said.
In 2011, Pritchard was transferred to a maximum security institution after he was found with $1,800 worth of illicit drugs following a family visit. But since then, his behaviour and attitude improved significantly, according to the report.
Pritchard's parole officer told the board he has done well during the three months he's been on day parole but after listening to him during the hearing, the board found Pritchard was "overconfident" in his personal assessment that he does not pose a risk.
Pritchard is considered to pose a moderate to high risk to reoffend and he asked the board to remove a condition to abstain from alcohol, despite the fact he is on medication for anxiety.
Pritchard will continue to live in a halfway house in the Fraser Valley
