Borutski was deemed risk to victims prior to prison release in 2014, inquest hears

Anastasia Kuzyk, Nathalie Warmerdam and Carol Culleton are pictures in this composite photo. (Point2 Homes, Genevieve Way, Facebook)

A coroner's inquest is hearing that Basil Borutski was flagged as a risk to his victims in eastern Ontario days before he was released from prison for domestic violence related offences in December 2014.

Months later, Borutski, who had a known history of violence against women, killed Carol Culleton, Nathalie Warmerdam and Anastasia Kuzyk on their properties in the Renfrew County area in an hour-long rampage.

Kirsten Mercer, counsel to End Violence Against Women Renfrew County, is asking James Pearson, a quality assurance manager with the Ministry of the Solicitor General, about the case notes that probation and parole officers had on Borutski.

Mercer read an email out loud that was sent by someone working with the Ministry of the Solicitor General to someone working on Borutski's case two days before his release from prison, saying he seemed to present a risk to his victims and predicting that he would not comply with his probation order.

Pearson says this email was never included in the case notes, but agreed that there were numerous concerns raised by community members, police and others in the criminal justice system about Borutski.

The inquest is examining the circumstances of the triple homicide and exploring ways to protect victims of intimate partner violence, particularly in rural communities.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2022.

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.