Eric Ross, who murdered four people in Barrie more than three decades ago, has been denied both day parole and full parole by the Parole Board of Canada.
Ross, 59, murdered Fred Shapcott, Ellsworth Beers, Pam Constable and Scott Seabrook in the fall of 1993. Ross went to high school for a time in Orillia; his photo is in the 1985 Oricolle yearbook from Orillia and District Collegiate and Vocational Institute; at that time he was in Grade 11.
Marg Shapcott, 72, sister of Fred Shapcott, said Monday she was aware of the denials.
“No, I am not at all surprised by the decision. Relieved, yes,” she said.
The Parole Board of Canada gave its reasons for denying Ross parole in a decision dated Sept. 27, 2024.
"The aggravating factors in your case outweigh the mitigating factors,” the decision reads. “Although you have made gains, the nature and gravity of your index offence cannot be overstated. The board is therefore satisfied that your risk has not been effectively mitigated to be manageable in the community.
"For all these reasons, the board denies both day and full parole. It is the board's opinion that you will present an undue risk to society if released on parole, and that your release will not contribute to the protection of society by facilitating your reintegration into society as a law-abiding citizen," the decision says.
Marg Shapcott said she spoke on behalf of the family of Fred Shapcott.
“We respect the decision made by Correctional Service Canada (CSC) who have been most thorough not only in their review for Eric Ross’s parole eligibility, but in keeping victims well advised, and up to date,” she said.
Trudy Brubacher, sister of Scott Seabrook, said she was unaware of the board's decisions.
“Well, I remember the judge at the trial said that if he was still alive after Eric’s 25 years, he would do what he could to see Eric didn’t get parole,” she said. “I feel I agree with the judge 25 years is not enough for four lives taken.”
The parole board also said the victims’ families and victims themselves have been considered in this decision.
"Your actions would have resulted in the tragic loss of loved ones and psychological and emotional trauma," the decision says. "Although there are no victim statements on file, the shear horror of harm and circumstances of the deaths and assaults will not be easy to heal from.
"The victims' families will grieve the loss of their loved one, and struggle to live with the void in their life for years to come."
The parole board decision also reads: "CSC recommended your release be denied and the board agrees. You have been incarcerated for several years and are presently housed in a medium security facility. You need to continue to demonstrate change and cascade to minimum security where you will have more responsibility and opportunities to practice and use programs skills to solidify change."
Fred Shapcott, a 46-year-old Deluxe Taxi driver, was found stabbed to death in his cab at about 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2 behind a south-end business.
On Monday morning, Oct. 4, the bodies of Beers, 85, his 22-year-old granddaughter Constable and her friend Seabrook, 28, were found at the Beers home at 138 Peel St.
Eric Fitzgerald Ross, then 28, was arrested and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder the following March. It was the incidents relating to the latter charges which eventually solved the so-called Peel Street murders.
At about 3 a.m. on Tuesday, March 1, 1994, a taxi pulled up in front of a Fox Run home. Ross went inside, and minutes later a teenaged boy ran screaming from the house. A neighbour or the cabbie called police.
Police called the incident a "random" stabbing of a 40-year-old woman and her son, 15. Both were taken to Royal Victoria Hospital, as it was called at the time.
Ross, unemployed, a Barrie resident since 1973 and originally from Barbados, was arrested. Police said he was not a prime suspect in the Peel Street murders until that Tuesday — despite being interviewed eight previous times by investigators.
The parole board said Ross is serving an indeterminate life sentence for two convictions of attempted murder, one conviction of second-degree murder and three convictions of first-degree murder.
"You murdered a taxi driver, an elderly man, his granddaughter and her male friend after you sexually assaulted the granddaughter in their home. Months later, you sexually assaulted a mother and attempted to murder her and her adult son. The offences were extremely violent included sexual assault and were without clear motivation,” the board said.
There is an active deportation order on Ross, the parole board said.
Greg Constable, elder brother of Pam Constable and grandson of Ellsworth Beers, said Monday the family had no comment on Ross being denied parole.
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