Legere murder accomplice granted day parole

After almost 20 years in prison, an accomplice of the infamous Miramichi killer Allan Legere has been finally granted day parole.

Todd Matchett, 37 pleaded guilty to murdering Miramichi-area shopkeeper John Glendenning in 1986 and brutally beating his wife Mary. Scott Curtis and Allan Legere were also convicted in the case.

Matchett and Curtis were older teenagers with a six-year track record of petty crimes when they committed the murder. Legere was then a 38-year-old man with a lengthy criminal history. Even though Matchett takes responsibility for the murder, he insists Legere was the ringleader.

After being granted day parole, Matchett apologized to the Glendenning family."I feel bad for what I was a part of and if I could ever go back and change things I would but I mean there's nothing I can do with respect to ever giving anything back to them unless I go out in society and try to make something better of myself and try to accomplish something in life that's going to give back to society and show that I'm a changed person," Matchett told CBC following his parole board hearing in Dorchester.

Matchett says he's changed since June 21, 1986. That night Matchett, his friend Curtis and Legere broke into the home of John Glendenning planning to steal a safe.

But before the night was over, 66-year-old Glendenning was beaten and dead. His 61-year-old wife Mary was also brutally beaten and sexually assaulted.

Matchett pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. "I willingly participated in a robbery back in '86 and I take full responsibility for being a part of that and I take full responsibility for everything that occurred after that and the loss of life," Matchett said.

Nearly two decades later, Matchett says he's a different person. He's looking forward to day parole and becoming a cabinet-maker in Vancouver.

One thing that hasn't changed though, is his claim that Legere was the ring-leader in the crime. "It shouldn't matter to me, because I'll be out of the area. But it does matter to me what people think of me, and that's why the comments I made about Legere and the type of person I think he is and the fact that I would like to see him dead and that'll never change."

Legere is now in a Quebec prison, serving time for several brutal murders he committed in the Miramichi area during the 1980s.

The parole board says Matchett is a "manageble risk" and feels he's ready to take one step closer to freedom.

Before heading west, Matchett will meet his family in Saint John for a three-day visit to say goodbye and tie up loose ends in New Brunswick.