Wolves Among Sheep

topic posted Fri, February 27, 2009 - 9:04 AM by  Mandy
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Hmm I just caught this on a google alert. Interesting story, I had never heard of this, I would like to read this guys book.

Man who killed wife, two kids denied parole


By Mike McIntyre, Winnipeg Free PressFebruary 26, 2009



WINNIPEG — James Kostelniuk says it took all the courage and discipline he could muster to face the man who gunned down Kostelniuk's ex-wife and two young children in a notorious triple murder that made headlines around the world.

But the retired City of Winnipeg bus driver says he's relieved his appearance before the National Parole Board earlier this month helped keep the convicted murderer behind bars.

"This was a 23-year preparation for me," Kostelniuk said this week from his home just outside Winnipeg. "I was ready for it."

He was forced to relive the August 1985 case — and learn some shocking new details in the process — when he sat in the same room with the killer in British Columbia.

The National Parole Board rejected a bid by Jeffrey Anderson to be given early day parole, citing the strong opposition of the victims' loved ones as a key factor.

Kostelniuk said he had worked for years on his victim-impact statement and kept his emotions in check as he read it aloud. But he struggled to maintain his composure as Anderson spoke about the crime.

"It was difficult and, quite frankly, sickening to hear," Kostelniuk said.

Anderson, an American citizen who was raised in Texas, was convicted in December 1986 of three counts of first-degree murder in a case that made headlines, especially after it was learned the killer and three victims were Jehovah's Witnesses.

He was given an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for at least 25 years.

Anderson first shot his estranged wife, Kim Anderson, in the face at point-blank range inside their home in Burnaby, B.C. He then fired a slug into eight-year-old Lindsay Kostelniuk, and another into her eight year-old brother, Juri Kostelniuk.

"The testimony about the murders . . . was chilling to hear, especially so coming directly from him," said Kostelniuk.

Although their marriage ended in 1979, Kostelniuk remained close with his ex-wife and children, who moved away to B.C.

Kostelniuk said he was particularly enraged to learn that Anderson is now admitting he repeatedly sexually assaulted the two children prior to killing them. The confessions led parole board officials to conclude they believe the real motive for the triple-slaying was to prevent Anderson from being revealed as a "sexual deviant."

Anderson admits he became violent with his wife shortly after they met in Maui in 1981 and then began molesting the woman's two children on a regular basis while they lived in the United States.

He said his wife found out about the abuse and fled back to Canada, but was eventually pressured into reuniting with him in B.C.

Anderson told the parole board he pressured and manipulated Jehovah authority figures to convince his wife that she was "scripturally obligated" to take him back.

Their reunion, though, was short-lived.

Anderson moved into an apartment across the street from his wife and children and began stalking them on a regular basis. He also began planning their deaths, buying a 12-gauge shotgun and sawing off the barrel.

Anderson admitted he walked into his wife's home while she was speaking with her mother, who quickly hung up and called police.

An officer phoned the home moments later. Anderson answered, telling them he was preparing to shoot his wife and two children. Police rushed to the scene and were greeted with the sound of gunfire.

Parole board officials asked Anderson earlier this month why he murdered the children after killing his wife out of apparent "rage."

He said he didn't really know but wanted "to get it over with as quickly as possible."

"The board is not convinced that your 'rage' was the sole reason for these murders. In spite of your denial, the board believes that silencing your victims before they could expose you to the police as a sex offender was also a likely factor," the parole board wrote in response.

Kostelniuk said Anderson appeared to have a well-rehearsed narrative for parole officials and he's glad they saw through it.

"The details of his behaviour are so humanly degrading, depraved and deviant that I saw looks of perplexity on board member's faces as he spoke. His reasons for pulling the trigger seem so contrived. I've always wondered how he could live with himself knowing what he's done.

"How could anyone?" asked Kostelniuk.

Kostelniuk chronicled the murders of his two children and ex-wife in his book Wolves Among Sheep: The True Story of Murder in a Jehovah's Witness Community, which was published in 2000.

Anderson will be eligible to apply for parole again in July 2010 and will be deported back to the U.S. if he is ever released. Kostelniuk plans to be at that hearing as well.

"I'm going to go back, to see this through to the bitter end," he vowed.

CNS 2/25/09 20:36:43
© Copyright (c) Winnipeg Free Press

www.calgaryherald.com/news/ki...ory.html
posted by:
Mandy
Oregon
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