Convicted Saskatoon killer Kenneth David MacKay denied day parole

WARNING — This story contains graphic details that may be disturbing to some readers.

The Parole Board of Canada has denied Saskatoon killer Kenneth David MacKay’s request for day parole after he was arrested two years ago while out on day parole.

The 51-year-old is serving a life sentence after he was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of 21-year-old Crystal Paskemin in 2002.

MacKay met Paskemin in a Saskatoon bar in December of 2000. He offered to drive the young woman home, but instead beat and violently sexually assaulted Paskemin in his truck.

She briefly escaped before MacKay attacked her once again and broke her jaw. He then drove over her body, set it on fire and dragged it behind his truck.

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According to parole board documents, MacKay was granted day parole in January 2023 and released about a month later. He settled on Vancouver Island and his parole was extended in July for good behaviour.

However, by Sept. 1, police in Victoria, B.C. contacted the National Monitoring Centre to let the parole board know MacKay had been arrested after a complaint was made about him by a female co-worker.

Documents show that MacKay had not only been “persistently” pursuing a co-worker but had also established a relationship with a woman in the U.S. and had photos and messages on his telephone that weren’t reported to his parole supervisor. His day parole was revoked in November 2023.

A document dated Feb. 18, 2025, from the parole board, said MacKay continues to present an “undue” risk to the public, especially to women.

“A related concern is your lack of compliance with the conditions of release, as evidenced by your continuing to communicate with your wife contrary to a no-contact order,” the document read.

“While your criminal history is not extensive, you have repeatedly struggled with substance abuse, anti-social values and attitudes, poor problem solving (particularly with respect to relationship issues), gambling, and community functioning.”

The parole board report added that while it acknowledges some progress in MacKay’s case, he engaged in concerning behaviours while on day parole, and when back in prison, he still needed to improve four out of five “risk factors.”

Those include an inability to recognize or address problems, poor emotional management, thoughts, attitudes and beliefs that promote risky sexual behaviour and relationships with others of influence that are either harmful or ineffective.