A man who’s been behind bars since he abducted and killed a 13-year-old girl in The Pas in 1994 has been denied parole.

Parole Board of Canada officials turned down full parole for 69-year-old Richard Bliss Arthurson last month.

It marked the first time he has sought release from federal custody since 2004 — when his last attempt was rejected. He has waived earlier legislated parole reviews.

In October 1994, Arthurson was given a life sentence with no chance at parole for 10 years, after confessing to kidnapping and killing 13-year-old Sarah Kelly weeks earlier.

This year, Arthurson failed to give officials any form of release plan to support his parole.

“Without a high level of structure and support, your risk is assessed as unmanageable and undue,” said the board’s April decision.

“It is the board’s opinion that you will, by reoffending, present an undue risk to society if released on full parole and that your release will not contribute to the protection of society by facilitating your reintegration into society as a law-abiding citizen.”

He remains in a federal psychiatric centre.

Arthurson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder to avoid a trial on first-degree murder, which carries an automatic life sentence with no parole eligibility for 25 years.

The teenager had disappeared while out for a walk on Sept. 18. A massive search ensued and a tip led to the discovery of her body near a gravel road north of The Pas three days later.

RCMP identified Arthurson as a person of interest — he been convicted of sex crimes in the past — but they were not able to immediately lay charges after officers interviewed him.

The recent written parole board decision said he went with a lawyer to surrender and confess two days after watching an appeal from the victim’s mother on television.

Arthurson told authorities he abducted Kelly, locked her in his trunk and drove to a remote location to sexually assault her, said the parole decision. He took her to a second isolated location and abused her further before killing her, the decision said.

At Arthurson’s sentencing, Court of Queen’s Bench Associate Chief Justice Jeffrey Oliphant described him as a dangerous individual, saying if he hadn’t pleaded guilty, he would “have remained the nightmare of every parent because I think there is no doubt that you would have killed again and perhaps again and again,” according to the recent written decision by parole officials.

Prior to the killing, Arthurson had been repeatedly referred to mental health and probation services for predatory behaviour, including photographing, following and propositioning girls. He had exposed himself to them in some cases and tried to lure a girl to sexually abuse her, in one case.

He was charged, supervised and sent for psychiatric help and was subject to a one-year peace bond to stay away from children.

He told mental health workers and probation officers he fantasized about sexually assaulting and killing little girls.

“Despite intensive therapeutic and legal interventions, your conduct demonstrated an escalating pattern of sexually deviant and predatory behaviour toward female children,” reads the parole decision.

He killed the girl months after the peace bond expired and his mental-health case file was closed.

While in federal custody, he has repeatedly been involved in security incidents, including at times being verbally abusive to staff. He’s been kicked out of at least one institution for stalking behaviour toward a female staffer.

Arthurson’s risk to re-offend sexually has been rated as “average,” the parole decision said.

Corrections officials were opposed to him being released this year and said any plan to let him out must be gradual, and include conditions to keep him away from children and in treatment for his sexual deviancy, violence and emotions.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca