Devan Selvey’s killer being released under father’s supervision
Judge dismissed first choice of teen living with brother, who was present at stabbing
The Hamilton teen who killed 14year-old Devan Selvey is being released from custody to live with his dad following the completion of his jail sentence.
The terms of his release amount to house arrest.
The teen, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was 14 when he stabbed Selvey outside Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School on Oct. 7, 2019. He pleaded to second-degree murder and in March 2022 was sentenced to seven years — the maximum allowed under the YCJA — followed by three years of supervision in the community. After two years credit for time served in pretrial custody the teen’s custody sentence is complete this month.
During a review in December, Superior Court Justice Andrew Goodman was not satisfied with any options put forward for the teen’s release.
Goodman outright dismissed the teen’s first choice of living with his brother, because the brother was present during the murder and was convicted of possession of a prohibited weapon after being arrested carrying brass knuckles near the scene. The pair also had a history of criminal behaviour together, including selling drugs, with one of the brothers sometimes having a gun.
Court also heard the teen’s mother struggled with substance abuse and there were concerns her residence wasn’t a suitable environment.
His father has an extensive record, including a history of violent incidents with the boy’s mom. Court heard he was remarried with other children and doing better, however, he had a strained relationship with his son.
A fourth option was a shelter. Instead of deciding in December, Goodman asked the parties to come back to court Wednesday with more information.
Court heard that during the intervening months the teen underwent family therapy and his team believed his father was the best choice. In court Wednesday, Goodman agreed to release the teen to live with his father, who lives outside Hamilton, during his threeyear community supervision period, The Spectator has confirmed.
Court previously heard the teen had been the aggressor in three assaults on other teens in his youth detention centre in 2022, however, there were no further incidents.
Devan’s mom, Shari-Ann Selvey, said she and her family are devastated and believe her son’s killer should spend more time in jail. She is also worried about the potential he might re-offend without the public knowing his name.
“We still have to live every day without Devan,” she said.
The conditions of his community supervision include keeping the peace, not possessing weapons, not consuming nonprescribed drugs, not associating with those with a criminal record outside of his family and no contact with the Selvey family.
He is not allowed to leave his dad’s residence except for work, school, medical care or visits with his supervisor or lawyer.