MONCTON - The Parole Board of Canada has denied full parole to serial killer Allan Legere, saying he continues to present an undue risk to society.
The 77-year-old convicted murderer and rapist, known as the "Monster of the Miramichi," killed five people in New Brunswick in the late 1980s.
Citing psychological risk assessments, the board decided on Dec. 12 that Legere continues to pose a high risk for violent offences and a moderate risk for sexual crimes.
In a 2020 assessment, a psychologist noted that Legere's "recalcitrant and maladaptive personality traits have hindered any progress thus far and are relevant to future risk … There is no evidence to suggest that (he has) the insight, skill or desire to combat these aspects of (his) personality.â€
The board also noted his poor behaviour in prison and the serious nature of his earlier crimes, which included physically and sexually assaulting several victims and “brutally ending the lives of five innocent people.â€
As well, the board said all of these crimes were committed while Legere was either on statutory release from prison or after he had escaped from custody, raising concerns about his ability to abide by release conditions.
Meanwhile, the Correctional Service of Canada told the board that Leger's offences demonstrate "a pattern of disregard for people's property, lack of consequential thinking, thrill seeking, sexual deviance, cognitive distortions, and poor problem-solving skills."
The board also found Leger had yet to complete a high-intensity sex offender program.
In 1986, Legere was one of three people convicted of murdering shopkeeper John Glendenning during a home invasion and robbery in Black River Bridge, N.B. Glendenning’s wife, Mary, was also beaten and sexually assaulted.
In January 1987, Legere was sentenced to life in prison for second-degree murder.
On May 3, 1989, while still serving that sentence, he was taken to a hospital in Moncton, N.B., to be treated for an ear infection. Legere went to the washroom, where he picked the lock on his handcuffs and escaped.
For the next seven months, Legere terrorized the Miramichi area of northeastern New Brunswick, attacking and robbing people while eluding police.
On May 28, 1989, he murdered and sexually assaulted 75-year-old Annie Flam before setting fire to the house she shared in Chatham, N.B., with her sister-in-law, 61-year-old Nina Flam. Legere was also convicted of beating and sexually assaulting Nina Flam.
In Nearby Newcastle, N.B., sisters Donna and Linda Daughney, both in their 40s, were sexually assaulted and murdered in their home, which was set on fire on Oct. 14, 1989. Â
On the evening of Nov. 16, 1989, the beaten body of 69-year-old Rev. James Smith was found in the rectory of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Chatham Head, N.B.
The manhunt for Legere ended on Nov, 24, 1989, when he surrendered to police near Nelson, N.B.
"File information indicates that, prior to your arrest, you had taken three motorists hostage — two of whom managed to escape," the board's decision says. "When you were arrested, you were still holding the third hostage against their will."
According to parole board files, Leger kept plotting to escape soon after he was returned to prison.
In the parole board's most recent decision, it was noted that Legere waived his right to a parole hearing in July 2025, and the board said he did not provide any written representations for review.
The board's decision also drew attention to victim impact statements submitted over many years, saying that a statement filed in September 2025 "speaks to the fear that they continue to feel, that you may return to the community."
Legere is now serving time at the Edmonton Institution, a maximum-security prison in Alberta's capital.
This report by ºÃÉ«tvwas first published Dec. 22, 2025.
— By Michael MacDonald in Halifax
