The friends, family and neighbours of a murdered Penticton, B.C. woman are outraged after the man accused in the killing was released back into the community.
Lynn Kalmring, a 55-year-old registered nurse, was shot and killed on Aug. 16 in the home she shared with her common-law husband, Keith Gregory Wiens.
Wiens, a retired Mountie, was arrested at the scene without incident and remanded into custody.
But on Monday, less than three weeks after Kalmring's death, Wiens was released on $50,000 bail -- leaving family members fearing they'll run into him.
"My niece Brandy is terrified to leave her house," said Kalmring's sister, Donna Irwin. "My sister's reduced to an urn of ashes. She's gone, and he's out."
Justice Peter Rogers, who ruled on Wiens' release, says there's no reason to be shocked. The criminal justice system views these matters differently than "the person sitting across from you at Tim Horton's," Rogers told a Kelowna court.
Wiens was forced to turn over his passport and must report to a bail supervisor every week – but Rogers felt the 56-year-old is not a threat to others.
That assessment is of little comfort to neighbours in his gated community, however, some of whom have been covering their face to avoid making eye contact with him.
Irwin says she's already written a complaint to Premier Christy Clark's office, and that she's now becoming an advocate for victims of crime.
"I will not stop fighting for my sister; not only her, but for all the other victims that are out there," Irwin said.
CTV News attempted to contact Wiens at his home Saturday, but there was no answer. He is due back in court on Sept. 28.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Kent Molgat
