Man who killed 5 at Calgary house party given more freedoms
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CALGARY – A man found not criminally responsible for stabbing five people to death at a Calgary house party is getting more freedoms but not an absolute discharge.
Alberta’s Criminal Code Review Board is allowing Matthew de Grood passes of up to two weeks to visit his family’s home in Calgary.
He is also being allowed to travel to British Columbia and Ontario if accompanied by a responsible adult.
De Grood’s trial heard that he was suffering from schizophrenia at the time of the killings in 2014. He was found not criminally responsible and placed in a psychiatric facility.
His annual hearing before the board last month examined his progress and whether additional freedoms would be warranted.
His psychiatrist, Dr. Sergio Santana, said de Grood is a low level to reoffend and ready for relaxed rules so he can visit his sister in B.C.
Santana also said de Grood’s schizophrenia is in full remission but he continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, guilt, shame and the effect his actions had on his family and his victims’ families.
“The treatment team also anticipates further work with Mr. de Grood to come to terms with the consequences of his actions,” said the board’s report released Friday.
“As he continues to reintegrate into a hostile community, the treatment team expects increasingly challenging situations. The board is satisfied that there is some certainty that Mr. de Grood remains a significant threat to the safety of the public and that the board cannot discharge him absolutely.”
De Grood was 22 when he grabbed a kitchen knife at the house party and without provocation stabbed Zackariah Rathwell, Jordan Segura, Kaiti Perras, Josh Hunter and Lawrence Hong.
The trial heard de Grood believed he was attacking Medusas and werewolves for the son of God.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2025.