Man Who Killed Family of 6 Near Wells Gray Park in 1982 Denied Parole Again
Noah Chen
8/25/20261 min read
A man convicted of killing three generations of a British Columbia family during a camping trip more than four decades ago has once again been denied parole.
David Ennis murdered George and Edith Bentley, their daughter Jackie Johnson, son-in-law Bob, and grandchildren Janet, 13, and Karen, 11, while the Kelowna family was camping near Wells Gray Provincial Park outside Clearwater in 1982.
In a decision issued Monday, the Parole Board of Canada concluded that Ennis continues to pose a risk of violent or sexual reoffending that could not be adequately managed if he were released.
Family Watched Before Fatal Attack
According to the parole board decision, Ennis watched the family at their campsite before shooting and killing the four adults.
He then kept the two girls alive for several days and sexually assaulted the older child.
Ennis later shot both girls and set fire to the vehicle where he had left the six bodies.
The remains were subsequently discovered by a berry picker.
Parole Board Cites Severity of Crimes
Ennis, who was formerly known as David Shearing, was convicted of the killings and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years.
In its latest decision, the parole board cited the nature and motivation of the crimes as a significant aggravating factor.
The board said Ennis “callously and viciously” killed six people in order to gain access to a female child victim and satisfy what it described as his “sexually deviant fantasies.”
The board ultimately determined that his risk to the public remained too high to permit his release.
Multiple Previous Parole Requests Denied
Ennis has sought release several times since becoming eligible for parole.
He was previously denied day and full parole in 2008, 2012 and 2021.
The latest decision means Ennis will remain in federal custody following one of British Columbia’s most notorious multiple-murder cases.
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