Man who beheaded, cannibalized Greyhound bus passenger to go free

He said he committed the barbaric murder because he thought the victim was an alien

A Canadian man who beheaded and cannibalized a passenger on a Greyhound bus in 2008 is now a free man.

Will Baker, formerly known as Vince Li, was traveling on a Greyhound bus headed toward Winipeg when he suddenly attacked his seatmate, 22-year-old Timothy McLean, as the young man was listening to music on headphones with his eyes closed. According to CBS News, Baker repeatedly stabbed McLean, as terrified passengers fled from the bus, when Baker reportedly cut off parts of his body and ate them. He then displayed the victim’s head to fellow passengers.

In 2009, a judge found that Baker, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, was not criminally responsible for the crime. He was transferred to a mental health facility rather than prison, and under doctor supervision, gradually gained more freedom. Since November, Baker has been living independently in an apartment in Winnipeg, while being monitored to ensure he took his psychiatric medication.

But on Friday, Manitoba’s Criminal Code Review Board ruled that Baker be granted an absolute discharge, meaning that he will no longer be subject to any monitoring.

In the decision, obtained by CBS News, the review board wrote its opinion “that the weight of evidence does not substantiate that Mr. Baker poses a significant threat to the safety of the public.”

Opponents of the decision include McLean’s mother, Carol de Delley, who has reportedly spoken out in the past against granting her son’s killer freedom, citing that danger he poses to the public. In response to Friday’s decision, she wrote “I have no words” on Facebook.

Crown attorney (similar to a District Attorney in the U.S.) Mary Goska told The Winnipeg Sun that she also disagrees with the decision. We should not lose sight of what occurred because it does speak to the threat,” she said. “It’s clear that he can be a danger in certain circumstances.”

In 2012, a mental health advocate who had been frequently interviewing Baker told reporters that Baker said he killed McClean because he thought he was an alien.

 

Photo: Facebook screenshot/R.I.P. Tim McLean