Christian Magee

Case identity

Name: Christian Magee Aliases/nicknames: “Mad Slasher”

Status and custody history

Christian Magee was found not criminally responsible because of mental disorder for the rape and murder of three women in the Strathroy area between 1974 and 1976, and was sent to Oak Ridge in 1976. He was held at the maximum security Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre ever since the finding in 1977.

He later sought transfer from the maximum-security facility to the Centre of Addiction and Mental health on Queen St. W., described as a medium secure facility with outpatient programs.

Timeline

• 1974 (March) — Christian Magee spotted his first victim, Judith Barksey, in the town of Strathroy and followed her for four blocks; he made up his mind he was going to rape her.
• 1974 to 1976 — Christian Magee sexually assaulted and murdered three women and raped two others in the Strathroy area.
• 1975 (October) — Christian Magee killed Louise Patricia Jenner in the kitchen of her home in Mount Brydges.
• 1976 (June) — Geoffrey Scholes’ 15-year-old sister, Susan Lynn Scholes, was raped and murdered by Magee.
• 1976 — Magee was sent to Oak Ridge and remained there for the past 30 years; he was arrested in London at age 28 in June 1976.
• 1977 — Christian Magee was found not guilty by reason of insanity; he was held at the maximum security Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre ever since.
• 1976 to June — Christian Magee raped and murdered three women and raped two others between 1974 and 1976.
• October 7, 2005 — The Ontario Review Board ordered Magee’s transfer from the Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre to a medium-security hospital in Toronto; the transfer was being fought by Penetanguishene officials and an appeal was launched.
• January 16, 2006 — Magee said he was sorry for his reign of terror 30 years ago and wanted to meet relatives of his victims.
• May 12, 2006 — A tribunal ruled Christian Magee should be moved immediately to a west end Toronto health care centre; the Oak Ridge division faced possible contempt charges for ignoring a ruling last year from the Ontario Review Board calling for the transfer.
• May 17, 2006 — The appeal court ordered that the Ontario Review Board must have a re-hearing because it made errors in law by approving the move; Magee was ordered to stay in a maximum security facility in Penetanguishene rather than move to the Queen Street mental health centre; it was expected that a new review board hearing would occur within 45 days.
• March (year not stated) — Hearings before the Ontario Review Board occurred in March and May, and Penetanguishene officials opposed the transfer.
• May (year not stated) — Hearings occurred in March and May before the Ontario Review Board; officials said Magee was likely to reoffend.

The offence

Christian Magee sexually assaulted and killed three women and raped two others between 1974 and 1976 in the Strathroy area. He used a knife to stab and slash most victims, and his two other victims also had their throats cut. His first victim was Judith Barksey, 19. His crimes also included the rape and murder of Susan Lynn Scholes, a 15-year-old, and the murder of Louise Patricia Jenner, 19.

Victims named in the record

• Judith Barksey (19) — Magee grabbed her as she walked to her Strathroy home in March 1974; he slashed her throat as she struggled, sexually assaulted her while she bled to death.
• Susan Lynn Scholes (15) — Magee raped and murdered her; Scholes told his 15-year-old sister Susan Lynn to wait until he finished work so he could drive her back to their parents’ cottage near Strathroy, but she went on ahead and later accepted a ride from Magee; Magee stabbed her in the throat, in the back, and strangled her with her halter top, before dumping the body in the basement of a deserted farm house.
• Louise Patricia Jenner (19) — Magee strangled her with a shoelace before stabbing her in the throat with a knife as she fought with him in the kitchen of her home in Mount Brydges in October 1975.

The record also refers to “three women” who were sexually assaulted and murdered and “two others” who were raped.

Investigation and psychiatric findings mentioned in the record

Mental condition and risk factors

A report from a clinical team of specialists described Magee as a sexual sadist, a man with an antisocial personality disorder, and said he had a 76 per cent chance of reoffending in 10 years were he to be released. The record said there was “no proven and effective treatment or intervention that is likely to change the outcome in a man who commits serial, sexually sadistic homicide.”

Dr. Lisa Ramshaw said in the report that it would be safest for society if Magee stayed in a “highly structured environment” because he had a “dangerous combination” of personality disorders. Another psychiatric report presented to the hearing described Magee as having a number of risk factors that combined to make him a very high-risk candidate for any form of release.

The Ontario Review Board brief released after a hearing said Magee had an anti-social personality disorder and a psychosexual disorder, and suffered from sexual sadism; it also stated that rape scenes aroused him more than pictures of consensual sex.

Statements and quotes

Christian Magee recalled:

“I was out of reality when I killed her”

During interviews at Oak Ridge, Magee also said:

“The reality is I'll always have the problem, but now I can recognize the symptoms and take preventative measures — stop myself — before it happens again.”

Magee said he made up his mind to rape Judith Barksey:

“I talked myself into it,”

“I was fantasizing more and more as I walked behind her, building up the courage, the desire, the want. “

“She looked good from behind,”

Magee said he realized he had to kill her because she knew him and could identify him:

“I just couldn't walk away, even though I hadn't done anything yet. But in my mind I had already committed the crime,”

Magee said of what he would do if in the same situation now:

“If I were in the same situation now, I would just walk away if I got those thoughts,”

“Now I would be able to recognize the warning signs and stop myself before anything happened. Back then I couldn't do that.”

On his personality changes and seeking treatment conditions, Magee said:

“I was sent here because I have an illness,”

“I didn't understand that then. I do now.”

Magee also said:

“I would have been out years ago had I been found guilty at a criminal trial, and given the mandatory life sentence,”

“We're a compassionate country. That's the way our system is set up. I can never repay my debt to society. But in Canada you're supposed to be given a second chance.”

Magee was quoted discussing meeting relatives:

“It won't be a very comfortable meeting ... but I owe them that much,”

and:

“I can never take that hurt away, as much as I'd love to,”

“It will always be there. But I feel that if I give them the chance to meet with me, and let them vent their anger and how much I messed up their lives ... it would be a step in the healing process.”

Lawyer Dan Brodsky said:

“This was a flat-out victory for Chris,”

and:

“If Chris is not at the Toronto facility by next week I will go to the Superior Court with a motion calling for contempt charges to be laid against Oak Ridge.”

Brodsky said regarding Magee’s planned appeal and hearing preparations:

Brodsky said:

“Mr. Magee has a number of risk factors which combine to make him a very high-risk candidate for any form of release,”

Brodsky said of the proposed meeting:

“He wants to say he's sorry. It could benefit both sides. Just saying he's the devil and not trying to understand doesn't help you get on with your life.”

Geoffrey Scholes said:

“He should never get out. There's nothing much more to say than that,”

A man at the hearing asked:

“What gives him the right to even exist?”

A man at the hearing said:

“Thirty years have passed and my sister has never been the same. Magee took away her God-given right to enjoy the magical act of enjoying a normal relationship with a loved one. Justice will not be served until he is dead.”

Crawford MacIntyre said:

“We find it rather offensive that the review board's order (from last year) has been snubbed,”

MacIntyre also said there was:

“a weakness”

MacIntyre said:

“A year ago an order was made ... and nothing was done,”

MacIntyre said:

“It could be said that the board's nose is out of joint.”

Crawford MacIntyre called on Brodsky to bring a motion citing Oak Ridge for contempt at a later hearing.

Trial and legal proceedings (mental health review outcomes)

Criminal responsibility finding

The record stated that Magee was declared not criminally responsible because of mental disorder for the rape and murder of three women in the Strathroy area between 1974 and 1976, and he was sent to Oak Ridge in 1976, where he remained.

Ontario Review Board and appeal litigation

The Ontario Review Board approved Magee’s transfer from a maximum-security facility, to the Queen St. W. health centre with programs allowing patients to travel into the community. Oak Ridge faced possible contempt charges for ignoring a ruling last year from the Ontario Review Board calling for the transfer. Chairman Crawford MacIntyre said he found it offensive that the review board’s order had been snubbed and called on Magee’s lawyer, Dan Brodsky, to bring a motion citing Oak Ridge for contempt at a later hearing.

The Ontario Court of Appeal overruled the Ontario Review Board’s decision approving the move, despite evidence Magee posed a continuing and substantial risk to reoffend. The record stated that a re-hearing was ordered.

A 27-page ruling written by Justice E. A. Cronk condemned the review board’s decision last May and said the board’s disposition was not made after meaningful consideration of the requisite statutory factors, including the need to protect the public from Mr. Magee, Mr. Magee's mental condition, his other needs and his reintegration into society.

Justice Cronk wrote:

“The board's disposition was not made after meaningful consideration of the requisite statutory factors, namely, the need to protect the public from Mr. Magee, Mr. Magee's mental condition, his other needs and his reintegration into society,”

Justice Cronk also wrote:

“The evidence (was) that Mr. Magee persists in seeking a transfer to a medium secure facility because he believes that it will facilitate his desired access to women,”

“Mr. Magee's motivation in seeking a transfer should have sounded an alarm bell for the review board.”

The record said medium secure facilities stress reintegration into the community.

MPP Garfield Dunlop said:

“Society has to pay far more attention to victims,”

and:

“He said he found it particularly troublesome Magee wants to return to Strathroy, the scene of his crimes.”

Brodsky said he expected a new review board hearing within 45 days, and that Magee was “stoic” and determined to get out of Penetanguishene.

Sentencing and release eligibility mentioned

The record said that if Magee had pleaded guilty to the murders he would have been out on the street by now. It stated that people convicted of first-degree murder were allowed to apply for parole after serving 25 years.

Aftermath and current condition in custody

The record stated that Magee lived at Oak Ridge, played solitaire on his computer in his room, watched 24 on TV, and listened to gospel music. He became a woodcarver, was described as a born-again Christian, and as a foster parent. He was described as the “model prisoner” with a spotless record after three decades in custody.

Magee described himself as seeking a “controlled exit,” potentially starting with weekend passes to visit his family, to show society that he could be trusted. Magee also offered to meet relatives of his victims so they could vent their anger; Geoffrey Scholes rejected the offer, saying:

“Talk to Magee? That's a definite no to that,”

The record said Magee was now 57 and a grandfather at the time of the discussion about the transfer. It also stated he was 12 when he committed his first offence, raping a 10-year-old girl. The record stated he was overweight and suffering from diabetes at the time of the Ontario Review Board proceedings.

The record also stated that Magee sought transfer with access to women and to eventually visit his family in Strathroy, and that evidence at his review board hearing was that his family—except for a daughter—remained terrified of him and did not want to see him.