A woman convicted in the death of a local realtor in 2006 is being released from prison for the third time after two previous parole attempts failed.
Lisa Ann McKay pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of William Edward Maloney in February 2006, and was sentenced to six years and five months.
Maloney had invited McKay over to his home on Lancaster Crescent, and at some point late in the evening they got into an argument. McKay impulsively grabbed a kitchen knife from the counter and stabbed Maloney five times.
She then ran around the house, taking a handful of things before fleeing the area bound for Edmonton. Her siblings found her the next day still with bloodstains on her clothes.
McKay was first released on statutory release in Dec. 2010. She almost immediately returned to criminal activities and authorities quickly returned her to prison.
She was next put on statutory release in March of this year, but in April she admitted to using drugs, missed her curfew and then disappeared completely from her halfway house for three days.
Statutory release happens when a person reaches the two-thirds mark of their sentence. In extreme circumstances that release can be prevented, but it is essentially automatic and the parole board can only impose conditions on an offender.
After her arrest in April, McKay was returned to prison and her statutory release date was recalculated and she will now be released in September.
McKay did not submit a plan for her release to the board and didn’t attend the last hearing, raising concerns.
“The lack of a well-developed release plan means that your dynamic risk factors are not being addressed,” reads the board’s decision.
In light of these concerns, the board imposed a number of strict conditions, including a requirement that McKay live at a halfway house and return every evening.
“You will require a highly structured and closely monitored release environment in order to successfully remain in the community without further offending,” the report states.
The board also imposed a condition that she abstain from alcohol and illegal drugs, avoid any contact with criminals and report any new relationships with men.
The board said McKay had to stay away from illegal drugs.
“Substance abuse is a direct contributing factor to your offence cycle, including your violent offending. You have had previous releases revoked or cancelled due to ongoing problematic behaviour.”
McKay’s sentence will end completely in November, at which point she will no longer be bound by any of these conditions.
