Victim’s family rails at killer’s transfer
Man who murdered mother moved to prison near her children’s school
Friends and family of a Mission woman brutally slain in 2015 are furious at the return of her convicted killer to the Fraser Valley community, at a medium-security prison near the school her children attend.
Eleanor (Ele) Anthonysz, a 33-year-old mother of two, died April 17, 2015, after her ex-boyfriend Walter Joseph Ramsay pinned her to her bed, beat her with a hammer or mallet, and set fire to her mobile home while she and her two children were inside.
Just over a year ago, Ramsay was sentenced to life imprisonment for Anthonysz’ death — and two concurrent 18-year sentences for the attempted murder of her two chil- dren — finally allowing Anthonysz’ family to focus on putting their lives back together.
But the healing was shattered last month when the children, now 14 and 15, learned Ramsay had been transferred from Kent Institution, a maximum-security prison near Agassiz, to the medium-security section of Mission Institution, just a short drive away from where the kids go to school.
“He’s now been moved within literally a mile from where Ele’s kids go to school,” said Lori Maginnis, a close family friend.
“Their (attempted) murderer is now living in the community where they live. They are fearful.”
The children’s grandmother, who takes care of them, was devastated by the news, said Maginnis.
“(She) had put the entire focus of her life to raising Ele’s children the way Ele would want her children raised,” she said.
“She feels she had failed by not protecting her kids from Walter. She feels if we don’t fix this, she will have failed her daughter.”
When the grandmother got in touch with Correctional Service Canada to ask why the victim’s family wasn’t informed, she was told the federal agency is under no obligation to inform them.
“They must keep murderers in maximum-security prison,” Maginnis said. “If they move them, don’t move them in proximity to their victims. It’s so heartless and senseless, and shows a lack of understanding of how victims are trying to cope with their loss.”
Maginnis does not know why or when Ramsay was transferred to Mission Institution.
The transfer has outraged the victim’s loved ones, who believe his proximity will inflict further trauma to the children, who have been in counselling the last three years.
“Their counsellor told (the grandmother) that finding out ... has set them back two years,” Maginnis said.
“They’re trying so hard. They don’t need this. Their lives have been devastated enough.”
The children witnessed at least part of Ramsay’s brutal attack on their mother, according to court documents. The daughter was also hit by Ramsay with the mallet or hammer and had her hands and feet bound with zap straps.
After Ramsey set fire to the home, the trio tried to escape. The children got out and ran to a neighbour’s house for help. Anthonysz didn’t make it out.
Investigators found her badly-burned body in the living room, a burned zap strap around her right wrist and pieces of cloth near her hand and around her ankles.
A CSC spokeswoman said the agency cannot comment on specific cases, citing the Privacy Act, but provided general information about transfers.
When an offender is transferred, CSC may disclose to registered victims — by request — the reasons for the transfer and identify where the sentence is being served.
Victims can provide CSC with a statement describing the harm done to them or the loss they suffered from the crime, and whether it has any continuing impact on them or if they have any safety concerns.
“Victims may request that their place of residence be considered in the correctional plan that CSC develops as it manages the offender’s sentence,” the CSC wrote.
“CSC policy requires that the concerns that victims have submitted in their statements be considered when documents for transfers are being prepared.”
Ramsay is eligible for day parole in 2032 and full parole in 2035.
Magginis, who mobilized her grief and outrage into action, organized a rally outside Mission’s municipal hall in late July to protest the transfer. She also launched a petition that has collected more than 1,700 signatures, and contacted Mission MP Jati Sidhu and Mission Mayor Randy Hawes.
Another rally is planned on Sept. 22.
“The effort will not end until we hear he is back in maximum security,” said Maginnis, who is hopeful the community’s effort will succeed.
“Why are murderers moving so close to the community where their victim lived? There should be absolutely no way that is happening.”
It’s so heartless and senseless, and shows a lack of understanding of how victims are trying to cope with their loss.