Day parole revoked for Manitoba killer who fabricated Métis ancestry

Parole Board of Canada letterhead is seen on a Government of Canada document in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

WINNIPEG — A man who spent decades behind bars for an axe murder in Manitoba has had his day parole revoked because he lied about being Métis.

Jack Wayne Bender, 74, was granted day parole last month. He had been incarcerated since June 1974.

In a decision released this week, the Parole Board of Canada said it cancelled the day parole May 5 after Bender’s admitted he had lied about his ancestry.

“You have maintained this deception for several years. You also disclosed that you never wished to be released on day parole. This disclosure has led to an increase in your level of needs and a decrease in your motivation,” the board said in its decision.

“The fact that you lack transparency and are reluctant to engage in the release process limits the assistance and support that can be offered.”

Bender was found guilty of what was then designated as non-capital murder and sentenced to life in prison.

In 1973, he and an accomplice stole items from a van and attacked the two owners.

One victim was forced to drive to a deserted near Lockport, northeast of Winnipeg, while Bender held the other victim at knifepoint in the back of the vehicle.

Bender and his accomplice later forced the victims to lie on their stomachs with their hands tied behind their backs. Bender hit them both repeatedly with an axe.

One victim died at the scene, while the other made it to a nearby farmhouse for help.

Bender was arrested two days later, intoxicated on alcohol and medication. He claimed to have blacked out when the attacks happened.

The parole board said Bender has expressed a “low interest” in rehabilitation and was at risk of reoffending.

But it approved day parole because he had made progress in the last five years by getting mental health treatment and reconnecting with his heritage.

It said Bender has completed Indigenous programming and worked with elders.

The Correctional Service of Canada requested Bender’s day parole be cancelled due to his “lack of honesty and transparency,” said the board.

“(Correctional Service of Canada) believes that given this new information, additional time is required in the institution.

“(It) expresses concern that you had not been forthcoming with the professionals involved in your case.”

The board said Bender had at one point had a strong willingness to reintegrate into society and no longer resorted to violence when faced with difficulties.

While incarcerated, Bender assaulted a corrections officer and successfully escaped from a minimum-security institution, but he was found not criminally responsible.

He was allowed escorted temporary absences throughout his imprisonment. The most recent absences in 2024 were reported to have gone well.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2026.

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press