Calgary killer a model patient
MASS KILLER A MODEL PATIENT WITH SUPPORTIVE FAMILY: PSYCHIATRIST
A review board is hearing a Calgary man found not criminally responsible for the stabbing deaths of five young people has been a model patient but his reintegration back into society will be a slow process.
Matthew de Grood was suffering from a mental disorder when he attacked and killed Zackariah Rathwell, 21; Jordan Segura, 22; Josh Hunter, 23; Kaitlin Perras, 23, and Lawrence Hong, 27 at a house party three years ago.
The judge in the case ruled de Grood didn’t appreciate his actions were wrong.
A hearing Thursday before the Alberta Review Board is determining whether de Grood, who is housed in a secure hospital in Calgary, should be granted more freedom.
Dr. Sergio Santana told the hearing de Grood is on medication for schizophrenia and his symptoms have been in “full remission” since July, 2014.
Santana said de Grood willingly takes part in his treatment, along with his family, and gets along well with other patients. He said de Grood is aware of what he did. “He’s always going to be known for what he’s done and this is going to have an effect on his life,” said Santana.
“He’s very lucky. He has a very supportive family.”
At this point, Santana said de Grood is considered at a “low level” for violent relapse. But he said that’s assuming de Grood continues taking his medication under hospital supervision.
Outside of a hospital, Santana said a relapse is more likely if de Grood stops taking his medication and becomes stressed.
“The potential that he could do something very violent is very high,” said Santana. “He would become psychotic, deluded, start hearing voices and the danger is he might respond to those delusions and hallucinations and believe they’re real.”
Santana said de Grood has been given a card which allows him to leave the hospital unit and go to a grassy courtyard. He’s recommending de Grood be allowed to walk around the hospital grounds for up to half an hour and be allowed to attend doctors appointments in Calgary while under strict supervision.