Kelvin Purdy, 56, was convicted by a B.C. Supreme Court jury for stabbing his estranged wife to death in Dec. 2003 as she was walking to a bus stop en-route to work. (CHEK News)

By Ian Holmes

historical crime

Day parole extended for Nanaimo murderer

Dec 16, 2024 | 4:10 PM

NANAIMO — While maintaining he’s innocent, a man convicted of brutally stabbing his estranged wife to death in Nanaimo had his day parole privileges continued.

In a Sept. 10 Parole Board of Canada (PBC) ruling recently obtained by NanaimoNewsNOW, Kelvin Kingsbury Purdy had his day parole continued for six months, following a Correctional Service of Canada recommendation.

The location of the community-based halfway house he was assigned to was not revealed in the PBC ruling, however Kingsbury informed NanaimoNewsNOW he’s currently residing in Montreal.

The PBC ruling indicated Purdy plans to make the new urban destination his long-term residence.

A BC Supreme Court jury convicted Purdy of second-degree murder in 2005 in connection to the vicious Dec. 12, 2003 attack in which a defenseless Denise Purdy was stabbed to death during an early morning ambush.

historical crime

Day parole extended for Nanaimo murderer

2h ago

final flight(s)

Historic plane's final trip to U.S. interrupted by emergency landing near Victoria

3h ago

slippery roads

Icy conditions on Nanaimo highway sends one person to hospital

6h ago

Purdy ran away from the scene near Lasalle Rd. in the area of Dover and Applecross Rd. and was arrested in Duncan later in the day.

“You attempted to conceal the evidence of your crime and then carried about your day normally upon returning home. You were in breach of a restraining order at the time and a warrant for your arrest had been issued just prior to the index offence,” the PBC ruling stated.

Following sentencing, a judge set Purdy’s parole eligibility at 19 years.

Purdy was first granted day parole status in March 2024, where he was assigned to an Indigenous healing lodge. The PBC ruling stated he worked closely with Elders on traditional healing practices and adjusted well with no compliance concerns.

The board is tasked with discerning if applicants for parole present an undue risk to society.

Purdy’s security has been reduced from maximum to medium and then to minimum, where he remains assessed.

The offender is categorized as a moderate risk for intimate partner violence.

“Any relationship that you enter needs to be closely monitored,” stated the partially redacted PBC ruling.

Of concern, the PBC stated Purdy continues to demonstrate “little remorse or victim empathy.”

Conditions of Purdy’s day parole include following a treatment plan arranged by his parole officer in the areas of marital, family, personal and emotional issues.

He’s to report all sexual and non-sexual relationships and friendships with females to a parole supervisor, have no contact with his victims and can’t be on Vancouver Island without prior written consent.

Purdy previously made provincial and federal supreme court of appeal applications which were denied.

He also had prior day and full parole applications denied in May and November 2022 respectively, while a bid for early parole eligibility was also rejected.

He has an active over three-year application before federal Justice Minister who has power to review and overturn convictions in cases where miscarriage of justice occurred.

Purdy has continually contended he’s the victim of corruption by police and the judicial system.

Blood from his ex-wife was found hours after the incident in a Ford Explorer driven by the offender, which Purdy contends was transferred from the crime scene to his vehicle by an RCMP investigator.

He wrote a memoir in jail which included a “DNA Scavenger Hunt List” with 199 people who could be responsible for murdering his ex-wife.

Local news. Delivered. Free. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get our top local stories delivered to your email inbox every evening.

ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook