James Urbaniak, a man who killed his common-law wife, Jessica Martel, has been granted full parole 14 years into his life sentence for second-degree murder.
Urbaniak killed Martel in 2009 at the couple’s Morinville home after a domestic dispute. The couple’s three children were in the home when Urbaniak murdered Martel.
Urbaniak was eligible for parole 10 years into his sentence, and he was granted day parole in 2019. That was revoked in 2020 when it came to light that he had been hiding a romantic relationship with a staff member who worked at the halfway house where he was staying. He was given day parole again in May 2022 and that was extended multiple times, most recently in May of this year, according to a July parole board decision.
The July decision notes that Urbaniak had been staying outside the halfway house between Thursday evening and Sunday evening every week without issue, and that his parole officer found him “easy to manage,” indicated he had not shown any concerning behaviours and found him deserving of full parole.
The board found him at moderate risk for domestic violence against an intimate partner and low risk for committing another crime, but low to moderate risk for committing another violent crime.
“The board has serious concerns about your behaviour in December 2020 on day parole in which you were involved in an intimate relationship and actively hiding this from your [case management team],” the decision reads. “As your highest risk is found to be in the area of domestic relationships, this fact and your lack of insight and consequential thinking around the situation indicates a continued risk in this area.”
However, the parole board noted that Urbaniak has been attending counselling with his partner, maintaining Indigenous cultural involvement, and participating in programming designed to help him reintegrate into society. He also has a degree of positive support in the community and a full-time job, the board noted.
Urbaniak is in contact with his oldest son via text messages but “express[ed] understanding” that he “may never be ready to form a relationship” with his younger children, the decision says.
“During your last word you acknowledged all the lives you have damaged through your offence. You state that you have worked hard to honour the victim and to change yourself, which you will continue to do,” the decision says.
Urbaniak has conditions to attend counselling and report all sexual and non-sexual relationships and friendships with women. He is not to consume drugs or alcohol, or contact Martel’s family.
Urbaniak and Martel had been in a relationship for 10 years when he murdered Martel.
In 2020, Morinville emergency shelter Jessie's House opened in memory of Martel.