Last of four convicted in Jane Creba slaying denied parole

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He’s the last one still serving time for the Boxing Day shootout that claimed the life of an innocent Toronto teen out shopping with her family.

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Jorrell Simpson-Rowe, 37, is serving a life sentence with no possibility of parole for seven years after being convicted in 2009 of second-degree murder in the death of 15-year-old Jane Creba as well as aggravated assault and unauthorized possession of a firearm.

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Just 17 at the time, he’s spent almost two decades behind bars and unlike his three co-accused, he’s been denied parole at every turn.

In the latest decision, obtained by the Toronto Sun, Simpson-Rowe was found to present a “high risk” of violent reoffending and a low potential for reintegration.

At his trial, Simpson-Rowe denied firing a gun, saying it was handed to him after the shootout. Much later at a board hearing, he admitted his gang had happened to run into rivals and someone gave him the gun, which he maintained he only fired after the other group shot at him.

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Simpson-Rowe was arrested 30 minutes later, still in possession of the firearm which had been stolen in a home invasion.

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He had a troubled childhood, of course. His father was deported for criminal activity when he was nine and he reported his mom was emotionally abusive and absent because she was working to support him. He was diagnosed as a kid with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, ADHD, anxiety, as well as antisocial and narcissistic personality traits.

“You have been described as having an explosive temper when you were a youth,” the board wrote in its September 2024 decision. “You learned at an early age that violence solved problems and got you what you wanted. Police noted you were a member of a criminal gang, and CSC (Correctional Service of Canada) information continues to document you as an ‘active’ security threat group associate.”

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The two-member panel noted Simpson-Rowe’s behaviour has been “problematic” throughout his sentence and he’s been bounced back and forth between medium and maximum security. He’s been involved in altercations with fellow inmates, found with a contraband cellphone and in April 2023, a homemade stabbing weapon was discovered in his pocket. In 2023 alone, there were 17 incidents, including disciplinary problems, uttering threats, physical assault on staff, and possession of unauthorized items/contraband.

“You have had several relationships while incarcerated, including more than one marriage,” the parole board added, noting that he scores at a moderate risk for future intimate partner violence.

“Your risk remains unmanageable on a day parole release,” the panel concluded. “Your risk on release remains too high.”

mmandel@postmedia.com

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