Chilliwack Mayor Ken Popove outraged over release of Chilliwack man facing second-degree murder charges

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Bluesky
• Share on X
• Copy Link

During a court hearing last week, a judge released the suspect on bail and conditions, prompting outrage from Mayor Popove.

Commercial vehicle safety

Nearly two dozen tickets issued during commercial vehicle safety blitz in Abbotsford: AbbyPD

6m ago

B.C. Prosecution Service

Abbotsford man charged in assault on 70-year-old woman inside SkyTrain station

2h ago

New clothing store

Grand opening of new Chilliwack clothing store set for next week

3h ago

“The system is broken,” Popove said during a phone call on Monday morning, Sept. 25. “He should be locked up until his court date and then put away. It’s flawed. I’m not sure if the jails are over capacity. I don’t think they are.”

Popove says it’s not so much where Freeman might be living, but rather that the suspect in this case is free and not locked up, given the circumstances around the homicide. The victims were described as caring, loving people and devoted grandparents. At the same time, Popove is concerned for the neighbourhood in which Freeman will be living.

“It doesn’t matter where he’s living, it’s the principle of the whole thing,” Popove said. “I just think it’s not right. I really think the system needs to take a look at itself and really maybe adjust. I don’t care if he’s 83. It seems pretty lenient to be released on bail. He is a danger to the neighbourhood. If I were living [where he is], I’d be looking over my shoulder.”

Popove said he could not believe that a suspect facing two counts of second-degree murder would be released on $10,000 bail.

“I was really surprised and then it turned into a, ‘Holy crap, are you kidding me?’ I’m not happy with the system at all,” Popove said.