Parole board revokes statutory release for convicted killer Shawn Lamb

Convicted killer Shawn Lamb has had his statutory release revoked by the Parole Board of Canada for breaching his conditions.

Lamb, 66, was charged in June 2012 with second degree murder in the deaths of three indigenous women; Lorna Blacksmith, Carolyn Sinclair, and Tanya Nepinak.

In 2013, Lamb pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter in the deaths of Blacksmith and Sinclair, while the charge in the death of Nepinak was stayed. Nepinak’s remains have never been found and are believed to be in the Brady Road landfill.

Lamb was sentenced in November 2013 to 20 years in prison, with credit for two years of time served in remand custody. In November 2025, the Parole Board of Canada granted statutory release, which allows federal offenders who have served two-thirds of their sentence to be released from prison under supervision. Lamb is now back in custody until either a new release is ordered or he reaches his next statutory release date, according to the parole board.

A written decision by the Parole Board of Canada indicated that Lamb was exhibiting positive behaviour when he first entered a community-based residential facility, or halfway house. But his behaviour started to deteriorate in March 2026, the document read.

The document stated Lamb expressed interest in volunteering with homeless encampments, but was unable to find an agency to support the work. He also tried to volunteer at a local hospital but was ineligible.

“You began “volunteering” on your own, pushing people around the hospital in their wheelchairs,” the document read. “You were directed to cease “volunteering” immediately and to report any relationships you had made within the hospital.”

The document says Lamb eventually found volunteer work at a local church.

The board says in May 2026, Lamb made numerous breaches of his conditions. It says Lamb signed out of the halfway house to go to Walmart and a pharmacy, but police observed him walking around downtown, going into an apartment, and handing unknown people small plastic bags with a white substance in it and the people giving him cash in return. Staff at the halfway house had reported that multiple people, including women, had come to the halfway house asking for Lamb.

As a result, a warrant was issued for Lamb’s arrest.

“Upon your arrest, you were in possession of $500 cash,” it read. “Although police had strong evidence of you trafficking (including images of hand-to-hand transactions), additional charges are not being pursued at this time as you were not arrested with drugs on your person.”

The parole board document says Lamb’s room was searched and officers found an additional cell phone, loose Tylenol 3 pills, a bag containing receipts from a motel for about $350, condoms in multiple locations throughout the room, multiple receipts for a storage unit totalling $4,000, and an envelope with photos of nude women.

Lamb denied selling drugs to his parole officer, telling the officer he might have been walking around handing out cigarettes, money, and gift cards to the homeless population downtown, and that some of the homeless community members had been giving him Apple gift cards in return.

“In speaking with the Board, you denied drug trafficking, rationalizing that if you were in the possession of drugs, you would have had no control and used them yourself,” it read. “Your sublocade regimen however would have an impact on that claim.”

The board also said Lamb made cryptic comments that suggest he met a woman at a hotel for sex.

“You have a report relationships condition, and this would be a notable breach, and exceptionally aggravating, as it reflects the vulnerability of your choice of victims. Your criminal conviction history reflects sexual assault and extreme violence. The nude photos of females in your possession, and second phone, indicate that your sexual preoccupation continues and this is also risk elevating to the community,” the document stated.

“The (prior) offences caused death, and it is apparent that you have returned to your offence cycle. The fact that these actions are post sex offender programming and do not align with your healing path, are very concerning.”

“Your actions are not beyond your control, yet you continue to willfully make poor decisions that place the public at risk.”

Family reaction

Sue Caribou, Tanya Nepinak’s aunt, says she was pleased to hear his release was revoked, but feels Lamb should have never be granted statutory release in the first place.

“How can you trust somebody that took lives and put him back on the street?” Caribou said.

“He was back to his old self, and then denying all of these things.”

Cairbou says hearing his name brings her family a great deal of pain.

“Shawn Lamb is a monster that should be left to rot in jail,” Caribou said. “He took so many beautiful women and so many of us are still carrying that hurt.” 

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