Allan Schoenborn Seeks One-Year Conditional Discharge 18 Years After Killing His Children in B.C.
Allan Schoenborn is asking the B.C. Review Board for a one-year conditional discharge, nearly 18 years after killing his three children in Merritt, B.C. Schoenborn was found guilty in the deaths of five-year-old Cordon, eight-year-old Max and 10-year-old Kaitlynne, but was ruled not criminally responsible because of a mental disorder. Since then, he has spent most of his time in supervised care at a transitional facility.
The request has renewed concern from victims’ advocates, who say a conditional discharge could be a step toward a full discharge. That would eventually remove him from forensic care in British Columbia and allow him to return to the community as a free citizen. Dave Teixeira, a victims’ rights advocate, said the case is troubling because Schoenborn is reportedly not participating in treatment programs, is refusing community integration programs and does not want a job. Teixeira said those factors, combined with Schoenborn’s long history in institutional care and concerns about violence, create a serious risk.
A ruling on the conditional discharge is expected in the coming days.
The case has also drawn renewed attention because Schoenborn legally changed his name to Ken John Johnson in 2021. At a June 2024 hearing, the board heard from his forensic psychiatrist, who said Schoenborn believed the public should read his record of progress rather than judge him. The hearing also revealed that he had been granted unescorted leave from the hospital known as Colony Farm for periods of up to 28 days, with no reported problems during those absences. The board was also told he had apologized for an outburst at a previous hearing.
Schoenborn’s case remains one of the most closely watched forensic review proceedings in British Columbia because it involves a high-profile child killer who was found not criminally responsible and is now seeking more freedom after years under supervision.
