Travis Vader eligible to apply for 'unescorted temporary absences' as early as next month

Convicted killer Travis Vader will be eligible to apply for "unescorted temporary absences" as early as next month.

Vader was sentenced to life in prison on Jan. 26, after being found guilty of manslaughter in connection to the 2010 deaths of Lyle and Marie McCann, aged 78 and 77.

At the time, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Denny Thomas pronounced that Vader would serve a life sentence, be ineligible for parole for seven years, and be under a 10-year weapons prohibition and lifetime restricted weapons prohibition.

Information provided by the Parole Board of Canada to the Journal shows Vader, because of the stop-start nature of his case, could apply for "unescorted temporary absences" on March 13, 2017.

Temporary absences may be granted for such things as medical or administrative reasons or community service, family contact or compassionate purposes and just because Vader is eligible to apply for the absence, it does not mean he will be granted one.

According to Correctional Service Canada, temporary absences may be granted if an inmate does not "present undue risk to society during the absence", "it is desirable for the inmate to be absent from the institution for one of the reasons for which temporary absences may be granted", "the inmate’s behaviour while under sentence does not preclude authorizing the absence" or "a structured plan for the absence, has been prepared."

The 45-year-old will be eligible to apply for day parole on Sept. 13, 2019, and full parole on March 13, 2020.

The day after receiving his sentence, Vader’s lawyers filed an appeal in which Vader asked for his conviction to be set aside and for him to receive either a stay of proceedings or an acquittal.

If a new trial is ordered, Vader asks it be by judge and jury.