McDonald’s killer Darren Muise ‘financially secure’ and ‘living a good life’ on parole: documents

Parole documents are shedding light on the life that one of the Cape Breton McDonald’s murderers is living while out on parole.

READ: McDonald’s killer Darren Richard Muise to get day parole

Darren Richard Muise, 43, was one of three people convicted of murdering three employees inside a McDonald’s restaurant in Sydney River, N.S. in May 1992.

Documents say Muise, along with two others — Freeman MacNeil and Derek Wood — decided to rob the restaurant when they were surprised by an employee. Donna Warren, Jimmy Fagan and Neil Burroughs were each fatally shot in the head.

A fourth victim, Arleen MacNeil, was also shot but survived and was rendered a paraplegic.

Muise was 18-years-old at the time of the triple murder. He pleaded guilty to robbery and second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison with no eligibility of parole for 20 years.

He was later granted full parole in November 2012.

Parole documents say despite the “extreme irony,” Muise seems “to be living a good life while the victims remain forever irreparably damaged by your crimes.”

Originally, Muise was living in Quebec once released on parole but moved to the lower mainland area of British Columbia in November 2015 to help his common-law spouse care for her elderly father.

According to the documents, Muise’s common-law spouse and her father are “financially secure” and he does not have to work.

“Your common-law spouse is comfortable with the fact that you do not work and you have said your job is to support her,” the documents reads.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Your common-law spouse is comfortable with the fact that you do not work and you have said your job is to support her," the documents reads.

Under his release plan, Muise must refrain from having any contact with the surviving victim or the victim’s families and isn’t allowed to go to Sydney, N.S. He is not required to report to police and parole records indicate that there has been no drug use for many years.

Parole records show the Muise asked for permission to meet with a friend he met while in prison in Quebec, known only as KB, who is also serving a life sentence but was out on parole and living in British Columbia. The pair met up twice before Muise’s case management team (CMT) realized the wording of his release was that he was to “avoid certain persons” and prohibited to have any contact with a person who has a criminal record.

Once the error was discovered, Muise was directed to have no further contact with KB until his conditions were amended. Parole documents say while Muise’s CMT believes that while a condition is necessary to help them monitor his associates, the wording of avoiding certain persons is “too restrictive.”  Documents say the CMT believes that while it’s important for Muise to avoid any person who has an active criminal record, associating with a person with a historical record like the one KB has should be allowed as long as “it is confirmed the person is pro-social activities.” As a result, the Parole Board of Canada amended his conditions.

McNeil and Wood, the other two men involved in the McDonald’s murders, remain behind bars. Each were convicted of first-degree murder with no eligibility for parole for 25 years.

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