‘Entitled, arrogant, and argumentative’: Vernon killer back behind bars

CONTENT ADVISORY

A Vernon pharmacist jailed in 2023 for killing his partner is back behind bars after he admitted to drinking while on parole.

According to a Nov. 26 Parole Board of Canada decision, Shaun Wiebe was hospitalized after drinking while on parole.

“You refused to meaningfully engage in any honest or transparent conversations about your recent activities, and when asked about specifics, you reverted to asking about when you would be released,” the Parole Board decision reads. “Correctional Service of Canada is of the opinion that your risk has become unmanageable and therefore recommends that your day parole be revoked.”

Wiebe had been granted day parole in the summer of 2024, roughly one year after being sentenced to four years in jail for killing his girlfriend, Heather Barker.

In 2018, during an argument at their home in the upmarket Vernon neighbourhood, The Rise, Wiebe had repeatedly smashed Barker’s head against the floor. She was left in a coma and died shortly afterwards in hospital. Wiebe wasn’t charged until three years later when he made a drunken confession to an undercover police officer. 

He later pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but was out of prison a year later on parole.

An earlier Parole Board decision says Wiebe still doesn’t take responsibility for what he did.

“You are described as someone with a tendency towards unstable intimate relationships, infidelity, and jealousy, and you have a history of resorting to substance abuse to cope with negative emotions, the recent parole board decision reads. “You have poor emotional management, poor coping strategies, and a tendency to deflect blame onto others.”

The decision says that while it was thought Wiebe didn’t have a criminal record prior to being sent to jail, the Parole Board says there are additional convictions that don’t appear on his official record, for assault in 2013 and obstruction of justice from 2010.

“Your record also reflects charges for uttering threats, causing a disturbance, assault, mischief, and fail to comply offences that were ultimately stayed. Several of your previous convictions and stayed charges relate to domestic incidents between you and your former intimate partners,” the decision reads. “You have a history of tumultuous intimate relationships, which have included two previous marriages and several common-law relationships… you have a history of engaging in domestic abuse.”

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The decision says Wiebe was released to an undisclosed residential facility on Vancouver Island in August 2024 and attended regular counselling sessions at a men’s therapy centre.

The decision says there have been some concerns with Wiebe’s attitude, which is described as “entitled, arrogant, and argumentative.”

“You have demonstrated a tendency to become frustrated, pushy, and sarcastic when you don’t get your way,” the decision reads.

Nevertheless, the Parole Board granted Wiebe 10 days leave on a couple of occasions and removed the geographic restriction, which barred him from travelling far from home.

In August 2025, he entered into a relationship with a woman he met at Alcoholics Anonymous.

The Parole Board found out Wiebe had been travelling outside of his allotted area without telling his parole officer.

In September, he told his parole officer he’d ended up in hospital due to having a panic attack and chest pains.

“However, your (parole officer) then received information indicating that you had checked yourself into the hospital for detox and had admitted to having been consuming large amounts, 26oz, of alcohol daily during your release,” the decision says.

When asked about the alcohol, Wiebe told the Parole Board he’d had a “slip” and drank a couple of beers.

“You claimed you had lied to the hospital about how much you drank in order to get anxiety treatment,” the Parole Board said. “You refused to meaningfully engage in any honest or transparent conversations about your recent activities, and when asked about specifics, you reverted to asking about when you would be released.”

The decision says Wiebe had said that when he is released, he’d like to live with his new girlfriend, but the Parole Board said she’d relapsed into cocaine use and was not considered a viable option.

The Parole Board said that Wiebe’s alcohol use, lack of insight into his behaviour, and his failure to reach out to his parole officer regarding increased stress and anxiety, along with his “suspected dishonesty” about his alcohol use, all led to its decision to revoke his parole.

“The Board finds your risk elevated to an undue level as a result of your misuse of alcohol, your emotional collapse in response to stressors, and the fact that you were in or pursuing a relationship with a woman with a history of addiction,” the decision reads. “The Board notes these circumstances parallel the factors that led to (Barker’s death) and represent risk-relevant factors in your case. Compounding this concern is your assessed high risk for intimate partner violence.”

The Board said this can’t be ignored, given Wiebe’s capacity for extreme violence.

If Wiebe serves the remainder of his sentence in custody, he’ll be released at the end of 2026.

NOTE TO READERS: To connect with a victim service program or violence against women program call VictimLink BC at 1-800-563-0808. VictimLink BC provides information and referrals to all victims, as well as immediate crisis response to victims of sexual and family violence.