chapter twenty

CHILLIWACK, BRITISH COLUMBIA

With the latest section 810 peace bond in place – and the accompanying community warnings from police – Peter Whitmore made a relatively uneventful transition from prison to community living.

His aunt, Lynn Hopkins, had been of great assistance and immediately put Whitmore up in one of the apartment properties she was managing. Whitmore was saying and doing all the right things, complying with his probation and adamant about finally making a fresh start.

He made one noteworthy change shortly after his release, telling police and probation officials he no longer wanted to go by the name of Peter. Instead, Whitmore asked to be called Robert.

This most recent release hadn’t generated the same national media buzz as his others. Perhaps it was because he was out of the intense spotlight of Ontario. Or perhaps it was the Karla Homolka factor. Whitmore could thank Canada’s most notorious female killer from taking some of the heat off him.

Homolka had just been released from prison after serving her entire 12-year sentence for her role in the sadistic sex-slayings of two Ontario girls. Justice officials had quickly obtained a section 810 peace bond against her, and radio talk shows and newspaper editorial boards across the land were being flooded with callers and writers seething over the justice system.

Whitmore’s didn’t escape the glare entirely as name was brought up in some of the Homolka coverage, with critics pointing to Canada’s inability to control him in the past. Many wondered how Homolka’s case would be any different.

With Homolka dominating the headlines, Whitmore quietly began meeting weekly with a local psychologist. The doctor had no expertise in the field of sex offenders and was dealing primarily with issues of social phobia and anxiety.

Whitmore developed a trusting case relationship with Chilliwack RCMP Const. Laural Mathew, who was one of the officers tasked with keeping a close watch on him. Whitmore also enrolled in the Circle of Support and Accountability Program. Any success, however, was short-lived.

Maureen Donegan, coordinator of the program, wrote a report on Whitmore’s status in the fall of 2005.

“Robert has displayed a consistent and adamant refusal to discuss any issues related to his offence cycle. He has consistently claimed to the Circle that he has had no deviant sexual fantasies; that he has done nothing to act out such deviancy; that he is adequately accountable to several professionals including police and probation, and therefore does not wish to address accountability issues with his Circle,” Donegan wrote.

Whitmore was being kicked out of the program.

Cindy Field, Whitmore’s primary case manager with probation, weighed in on Whitmore’s situation later in the year.

“Client is currently living alone at City Centre Manor. His aunt, Lynn Hopkins, manages this building. He receives Level 2 disability. Peter has now chosen to go by Robert since the public notification. Peter will continue involvement with two of the women from the Circle of Support and Accountability group; however, there is no tie between the COSA and his support from these women,” Field wrote.

“My concern is that Peter is highly manipulative. There was concern that he was manipulating these women and as a result two men were added to his COSA group. This is where the problems began for Peter, as he did not like this. Peter has power and control issues (which he will fully admit) and when he was no longer able to control the group, he wanted it shut down. He still managed to have things his way, by maintaining contact with these two women. Peter was unwilling to admit to the extent of his breaches, his risk, possible fantasies, etc. He wanted to spend his support group time talking about his own agenda and having them provide the assistance he wanted,” she said.

“At the present time Peter is upset with me that I will no longer consider these women a formal support group for him and has requested a joint meeting between the four of us. Peter was served with documents to comply with the National Sex Offender Registry. He is fighting his obligation to comply, however has complied pending the court process.”

Field said there was concern about the amount of time Whitmore has been spending working on computers.

“He appears to have put together a fairly decent computer system. He admits to talking to persons from around the world. He picks up odd jobs rebuilding and fixing computers. He admits to ‘scrubbing’ his computer daily. My concern will remain that he may be dealing with child pornography over the Internet and of talking to young persons over the Internet. He adamantly denies this,” said Field. “Peter remains a high risk sex offender and will be treated as such.”

•••••

In early 2006, Whitmore was asked to begin seeing a forensic psychologist who specializes in pedophiles. He travelled to Vancouver for one meeting, and then declined to see the man for any future sessions.

Whitmore came up with several excuses, claiming a lack of money and transportation. His case manager, Cindy Field, proposed a series of ideas including financial reimbursement and arranged travel. Whitmore wanted nothing to do with it.

He eventually claimed to be suffering from a “phobia” about going to Vancouver. Field noted Whitmore didn’t seem to have any problem heading to the big city after he bought a vehicle in the spring of 2006.

Whitmore lost his legal challenge and became part of the sex offender registry, which had been unveiled in 2004 by the federal Liberals.

The idea behind the registry was to form a national database that tracks the movements of convicted pedophiles and rapists and potentially assists in helping police identify suspects in cases.

Whitmore had also been attending bi-weekly group counselling sessions but was deemed a “disruptive” force.

“He attempted to take on a facilitator role and his approach to other group members was at times authoritarian. He attempted to be the main focus of attention in every meeting and would interrupt others while they were talking. These interruptions would have nothing to do with the conversation of topic being discussed and appeared to be an attempt to place the focus of the group back on him,” Field wrote.

•••••

MORINVILLE, ALBERTA

JUNE 2, 2006

After nearly a full year on the west coast, Peter Whitmore was apparently looking for a change of scenery. He got the blessing of his B.C. case manager to make a short weekend road trip to Morinville, a town of 6,500 located about 35 kilometres north of Edmonton.

Whitmore had been in touch with his brother, David, and arranged for a visit. Police had been notified he was coming.

Brent Miller, a corporal with the Morinville RCMP, greeted him upon arrival. He then sat down with both Peter and David Whitmore to discuss the prospective move.

David explained that he owned his own company, DW Finishing, and did work in new home construction in the Edmonton area. He said he was well aware of Peter’s criminal past but was willing to look to the future and give his brother another chance.

As well as a job, David said he wanted Peter to come and work for him as a labourer. He would also open his doors and let his brother live with him.

Miller was tasked with compiling a geographical “risk assessment” of the area and noted 16 “high risk” locations that fell within short walking distance of the trailer park the men would live in. These included parks, playgrounds, swimming pools and elementary schools. Miller also noted there were several young families with children living in the same trailer park.

David Whitmore said he had planned to have his 16-year-old niece and 13-year-old nephew stay with him for the summer – but Miller made it clear that Peter Whitmore would not be allowed to stay under those circumstances.

David told Miller he believed his brother had been “rehabilitated to a point” but agreed that, if unsupervised, he may re-offend. Miller asked Peter Whitmore a series of questions regarding his current feelings toward children. Whitmore was quite candid with his responses, which were noted in a police report.

“The offender openly admits that he is attracted to young males, 12-14 years old. Whitmore stated that he commits sexual offences when he is under stress and that under these circumstances he resorts to offending against street people,” police wrote.

“He claimed that he currently copes with stress by playing games on the computer or by watching TV. Furthermore, he advised that he will always have sexual urges towards 12-14 year old boys but that he manages his behaviour by masturbating to his mental fantasies. Whitmore stated that he expected to go to jail for life if he committed any new sexual offences, and that he does not want this to happen.”

Police decide the community should be warned that Whitmore has come to town.

•••••

JUNE 3, 2006

“Police are warning families in St. Albert and Morinville to keep a close eye on their kids this weekend, when a convicted sex offender visits the area for the next three days,” reporter Peter Boer wrote in the pages of the St. Albert Gazette.

“This individual represents a significant risk to offend against young male or female victims and poses a considerable risk to the community.”

•••••

CHILLIWACK, B.C.

JUNE 12, 2006

His mind was made up. Whitmore was ready to move. The only thing that could stop him was his section 810 peace bond – but that was about to change. The one-year order expired today.

Police had been planning for a renewed application that would see him controlled for at least another 12 months. Whitmore initially agreed to the new order but changed his mind.

A court date was set for June 15 to argue the matter. But with no court order in place, Whitmore was truly a free man for the first time in ages. So he hopped in his car and hit the road. He was off to see his brother.

•••••

JUNE 15, 2006

The Crown’s application for a new peace bond had just hit a major snag. Justice officials had recently discovered a 13-year-old criminal charge against Whitmore languishing in their system. He had been charged way back in 1993 with writing a bogus $1,000 cheque to a Black’s photography store in Edmonton.

The case somehow got overlooked as Whitmore was sentenced for his first set of sexual offences. Now, the plan was to have it transferred to B.C. so Whitmore could finally deal with it.

The plan was to do the false pretences sentencing at the same time as the peace bond renewal. However, the required paperwork hadn’t been brought to court.

Whitmore’s hearing – both on the bad cheque charge and the peace bond – was adjourned until July 13. The scene was now going to have to shift to Alberta, where Whitmore had now moved.

Police were quickly notified about the developments and began making their own plans to obtain an 810 order. Time was of the essence.

A “Risk of Significant Harm” report was prepared by Morinville RCMP in advance of the peace bond application which included a detailed history of Whitmore and notes about the recent police interview with him and his brother.

A hearing had been set for June 29 – 17 days after the last order expired. Whitmore was aware of what was happening and promised to be there.

•••••

MORINVILLE, ALBERTA

JUNE 29, 2006

The courtroom was empty. Whitmore was gone.

•••••

TOPSAIL, NEWFOUNDLAND

Something just wasn’t right about the new guy on the block. He had introduced himself to the friendly residents of this community on June 28 as “Robert”, a grieving father of two young boys whose wife had recently died of cancer.

He moved into a small apartment on Annie’s Drive, a cul-de-sac brimming with young families and kids, and paid his rent through August. Two children lived upstairs from him.

Robert said he was looking for a “fresh start” and was hoping to land a job and permanent residence on the East Coast. He immediately began contributing to the neighbourhood.

A young boy, about seven years old, was upset that his dirt bike wasn’t working. Robert jumped at the chance to help out, walking the boy a few blocks down the street to a nearby repair shop.

He bought several neighbourhood kids candy from the corner store, bringing smiles to their faces and handing it out to them in front of their parents.

Robert helped neighbour Brad Durnford, a married father of two young children who works with the Coast Guard, build a small fishing pond for the local Canada Day block party.

He claimed to have a $1.6-million property back home in B.C. But Robert left their community almost as quickly as he entered, disappearing on July 5 after only eight days. He claimed one of his boys was sick back home in British Columbia and needed him.

He promised to be back – bringing his two kids with him.