The Parole Board of Canada has granted unescorted temporary absences for the personal development and rehabilitation of Victoria Henneberry, who helped kill a pregnant Inuit student from Labrador over a decade ago in Halifax and disposed of her body in a hockey bag beside a highway.
Parole Decision Details
Victoria Lea Henneberry, now 40, is serving a life sentence for the second-degree murder of Loretta Saunders in February 2014. In a decision released Wednesday, the parole board approved two 72-hour unescorted temporary absences (UTAs) so Henneberry can visit a halfway house. The decision, dated June 2, stated: 'Your case management team believes it is desirable for you to participate in the proposed UTA so that you can focus on a gradual release to the community while allowing your risk factors to be closely monitored.'
'This UTA allows a structured and supervised opportunity to assess your behaviour, decision-making and ability to comply with conditions in a community setting,' the board added. Henneberry was in a minimum-security prison in Ontario last year, but the parole decision from Kingston, Ont., did not specify her current location or the halfway house she plans to visit. A parole board spokeswoman declined to disclose these details due to inmate privacy.
Previous Violations and Risk Assessment
The board granted Henneberry 30 days of unescorted leave in fall 2024 for personal development courses at a halfway house, but that was 'prematurely cancelled days prior to its completion due to numerous violations of rules' and Henneberry's 'emotional instability (self-reporting of suicidal ideation).' Despite this, the board noted: 'The psychologist reported that you are currently a low-moderate risk for both general and violent recidivism.'
The Murder of Loretta Saunders
Henneberry and her boyfriend, Blake Leggette, were subletting a room in Saunders' Halifax apartment when they killed the Saint Mary's University student after she came to collect unpaid rent. Saunders was 26 and pregnant at the time. Leggette attacked her from behind on Feb. 13, 2014, when she entered the apartment. 'Once inside the apartment, your boyfriend choked the victim and tried to suffocate her with plastic bags,' the decision said. 'The victim's head was then hit against the floor twice.'
The pair placed Saunders' body in a hockey bag, left to return a computer for money, then Leggette carried the bag to Saunders' car. They used her bank card to buy food and other items, drove from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick, dumped the body at the side of a highway, and continued to Ontario, where they were arrested. Henneberry 'confessed to the murder the following day,' and video evidence showed they had discussed killing Saunders five days prior.
