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Online petition launched to keep mass murderer behind bars

bentley and johnson family
Members of the Bentley and Johnson family.

A petition has been launched with the intent of keeping David Shearing, a convicted murderer of six, behind bars.

Shearing, who also goes by the name David Ennis, killed a family of six, including two children, while they were camping near Wells Gray Provincial Park in August of 1982. He is currently serving a life sentence.

According to the petition, a parole hearing has been set for July 2021 to consider full parole for Shearing.

Full parole allows an offender to serve part of their sentence living in the community. They must report regularly to a parole supervisor, and in some cases, to the police.

The change.org petition was started on Feb. 11 by Tammy Arishenkoff, a childhood friend and classmate of one of Shearing's victims. More than 24,000 people have signed their support, surpassing the original goal of 15,000 signatures.

“We, the undersigned, feel that the release of David Ennis, formerly David Shearing, into the community would jeopardize the safety of all citizens, but more importantly, our children,” the petition said.

“As well, the heinous nature of his crimes should preclude any possibility of release. We strongly urge the Parole Board of Canada to once again deny parole and full parole to this murderer.”

Shearing had previously applied for parole in September 2012 and October 2008, but was denied both times.

In 2012, the National Parole Board ruled Shearing still had violent sexual fantasies, hadn’t completed sex offender treatment, and is not ready for freedom.

“It’s quite hard to imagine any crimes more serious or more reprehensible than the ones you committed,” the board told Shearing in the 2012 hearing.

“There still is present a large number of risk concerns.”

In August 1982, Shearing shot four adults, George and Edith Bentley and Jackie and Bob Johnson, as they camped in Wells Grey Provincial Park.

He confessed to killing the adults in order to gain access to the two young girls, Janet Johnson, 13, and Karen Johnson, 11.

Shearing kept the girls alive for almost a week, sexually assaulting them before killing them.

All six bodies were put in the Johnsons' car, which was rolled down a hill and set on fire.