Will Baker, formerly known as Vince Li, who beheaded and partially ate a man on a Greyhound, has been given a full discharge.
Baker, a diagnosed schizophrenic, had been living on his own since November but was still being monitored. His doctors believe that Baker knows it is his medication that keeps his illness at bay and is confident that he will continue to take it.
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In 2008, Baker was traveling from Edmonton to Winnipeg when he suddenly started stabbing Tim McLean with a large knife while the bus was near Portage la Prairie. The bus was pulled over and the passengers evacuated as Baker decapitated McLean. Baker, after attacking people attempting to rescue McLean then proceeded to eat portions of McLean’s flesh.
Baker said that he heard the voice of God telling him to kill McLean. One witness described Baker as being calm during the attack saying, “there was no rage or anything. He was like a robot, stabbing the guy.”
After a standoff, Baker surrendered to police and faced a charge of second-degree murder. Baker plead not criminally responsible due to mental health issues. When he put in the plea Baker said only three words to the court, “please kill me.”
The diagnosis was accepted by the court and Baker was sent to the Selkirk Mental Health Centre. Over the past nine years, Baker has been treated for schizophrenia and gradually was granted more and more freedom as the treatment furthered. This included supervised walks outside, unsupervised day passes and finally culminated in him being granted full release.
In their written decision the Manitoba Criminal Code Review Board wrote that they had considered all the evidence and testimony carefully.
“The review board is of the opinion that the weight of the evidence does not substantiate that Mr. Baker poses a significant threat to the safety of the public,” it reads.
McLean’s mother, Carol de Delley, posted on Facebook after news of Baker’s release was made public, saying she wasn’t going to comment.
“I have no words,” she wrote.
Lead image: Will Baker, formerly Vince Li, pictured in Portage La Prairie on August 5, 2008. Via John Woods/The Canadian Press.
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