The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Residents of The Pas are speaking out against the possible parole of a man convicted of strangling a teenage girl in their community a decade ago. At least 1,000 residents have reportedly signed a petition in support of keeping Robert Bliss Arthurson, 47, behind bars. "I don't believe there's a place in the community for him," said Mayor Gary Hopper. The petition was to be sent to the National Parole Board 10 days ago. Arthurson is at an Alberta prison serving a life sentence for killing 13-year-old Sarah Kelly and leaving her body next to a gravel road in the community in 1994. He automatically becomes eligible for parole on September 25 because he will have served 10 years. "We don't drive by the highway ever without those thoughts coming back," said Mayor Hopper. "You always say that sort of thing doesn't happen here. It happened 10 years ago. It was devastating beyond belief."
