No prison absences for man who murdered 5-year-old Jessica Koopmans in Lethbridge

Anthony Gallup, 66, a man convicted of first-degree murder for the 2001 kidnapping and killing of five-year-old Jessica Koopmans in Lethbridge, Alberta, requested unescorted temporary absences during a parole hearing on Thursday. However, his request was denied by the Parole Board of Canada, citing that Gallup is not ready for any additional freedoms and releasing him would be premature.

Jessica's naked body was discovered under a pile of brush near Fort Macleod a week after her disappearance. Gallup, who was 31 at the time of the crime, was arrested a week later. The Globe and Mail reported that court heard Gallup had nightmares involving sex with young girls and had been seeking counseling prior to Jessica's disappearance.

During the parole hearing, Gallup told the board that he took Jessica to buy her candy and became aroused, leading to panic and shame as he didn't want to be exposed for any deviant impulse. He expressed his regret, saying, "I don’t have any explanations that would satisfy anybody. I am not the same person that I was 25 years ago."

Jessica's mother, Sylvia Bouw, appeared at the hearing via video link and described Gallup as a master manipulator. She emphasized that life in prison is 25 years and reiterated that her daughter does not get a second chance. The possibility of Gallup's release, Bouw said, reopens wounds that never truly healed and brings back the fear, pain, and reality of what was taken from them.