Convicted murderer attending McGill law school was ‘the most brutal and evil,’ former prosecutor says

A former prosecutor has described Jeffrey Ewart, a convicted murderer currently attending McGill University in Montreal, as "the most brutal and evil" individual he ever prosecuted. Ewart, now in his 60s, served 40 years in federal prison for second-degree murder and attempted murder of two female victims in British Columbia during the 1980s. He was granted day parole in 2025 and began attending law school at McGill in September.

Former prosecutor Rick Miller, a retired judge, told Global News that Ewart is "as bad as they come" and remembered prosecuting him 40 years ago. Two of Ewart's crimes involved violent attacks: in 1984, he choked an 19-year-old woman unconscious and sexually assaulted her before dumping her body in the Fraser River, and six weeks later, he strangled a 15-year-old girl unconscious in his adoptive parents' Surrey basement, leaving her to die in a drainage ditch after her head struck the pavement. The 15-year-old survivor survived but suffered severe brain damage.

Miller said that during the trials, Ewart's defense was insanity, but the Crown's psychiatrist testified that Ewart was a psychopathic killer. Ewart appealed, and the first-degree murder verdict was overturned. He later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, and the judge recommended that parole never authorize his release due to the danger he posed.

Opinions among McGill students are divided on Ewart's studies. While some like student Leah Kropf believe in second chances and rehabilitation, others like Isabelle Munoz are uncomfortable with being in class or on campus with him, expressing concerns about their safety. McGill administration stated that privacy laws prevent them from discussing individual student cases, but emphasized the safety and security of students as their top priority.

The university also said it would review its admissions processes to avoid similar situations in the future.