The Calgary Courts Centre on Monday, March 11, 2019. A Calgary man charged with murder in the death of a woman whose burned body was found in a park last month completed a prison sentence for a similar killing less than a year ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
CALGARY – A Calgary man charged with murder in the death of a woman whose burned body was found in a park last month had completed his prison sentence for a similar killing less than a year ago.
Christopher Ward Dunlop, who is 48, was charged this week with second-degree murder and causing an indignity to a body in the death of 58-year-old Judy Maerz.
Her body was found by a passerby in Deerfoot Athletic Park on Feb. 16.
Dunlop previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2009 death of Laura Furlan, who was found dead in another Calgary park.
He was sentenced in 2015 to6 1/2 years.
Documents from the Parole Board of Canada show Dunlop was pre-approved for statutory release in December 2019, and completed his prison sentence on June 3, 2022.
A risk assessment at the time suggested Dunlop had a low to moderate risk to reoffend.
“It is reported you took full responsibility for your offences,” said a pre-release report. “It appears that you have the motivation for continuing to maintain necessary behavioural changes to help with lowering your risk.
“The clinician reported you admitted that a significant risk factor for yourself would be feelings of rejection or being used.”
His release conditions included not consuming alcohol and not being in contact with the victim’s family.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2023.
