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A fortnight more before the prison gates might be ordered flung open for the miscreant who planned, orchestrated and by-proxy killed the teenager.

Melissa Todorovic found her parole bid hanging in the lurch on Friday, the two-member panel returning from its deliberations only to announce they needed more time to ponder and will release a written decision within 15 days.

That probably won鈥檛 sit well with the murderess, convicted of first-degree聽鈥� tried as a youth, sentenced as an adult to life, which of course means no such thing, parole eligibility after seven years for this offender. Accustomed to snapping her fingers or pulling the levers or browbeating people into submission, is Todorovic. Or, as necessary, putting on a little pantomime of penitence and contrition. She鈥檒l just have to wait a teensy bit longer before likely getting sprung from the hoosegow on day parole.

Even almost half a lifetime ago, as a 15-year-old, Todorovic evinced profound powers of manipulation as the puppet-master who arm-twisted her sap of a boyfriend into killing 14-year-old Stefanie, alleged rival (she wasn鈥檛), a girl she鈥檇 never even met, by denying the tumescent oaf sex.

From among the 55,000 MSN texts and thousands of texts Todorovic sent the lovesick David Bagshaw:

鈥淚 want her dead davidd鈥e鈥檝e been through this鈥︹��

鈥淣o sex til then lol鈥欌��

鈥淯r getting blocked until you kill her鈥欌��

鈥淚鈥檓 still waiting for her to die鈥欌��

鈥淚s she dead?鈥欌��

Yes, on that New Year鈥檚 Day, 2008, Stefanie was dead, by Bagshaw鈥檚 hand and Todorovic鈥檚 twisted will.

But, honest to goodness parole board, she鈥檚 a changed woman. Trustworthy, attuned to her character flaws and deep-rooted emotional pathologies聽鈥� stupendous transformation!聽鈥� and of no risk to the public.

Todorovic wasn鈥檛 entirely convincing enough on this occasion, at least not in the moment, in her still-little-girl voice and her newly-found meditation Zen mellow.

Poor self-esteem had been the source of her woes and lethal behaviour, Todorovic earnestly explained to the panel, a defect she鈥檚 since addressed via intense counselling, jailhouse programs and, well, self-absorption. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been an issue since childhood. So I really delved into the issue. I was able to analyze my thoughts, create healthier ways to think about myself. Not relying on other people to feel good about myself. Just feeling good about myself. Because I鈥檓 worth it.鈥欌��

And heaps more such psychobabble gibberish.

More likely the parole panel hit pause after listening to the heart-wrenching victim impact statement from Stefanie鈥檚 mother, retired police officer Patricia Hung.

鈥淲e are all very well aware of the reasons we鈥檙e here, the senseless shameless act of murder against an innocent young girl full of promise and goodness. An act that devastated our family and our community.鈥欌��

Sobs catching in her throat, Hung said there aren鈥檛 words impactful enough to fill that void, the violent taking of her daughter鈥檚 life by a man she鈥檇 liked as a friend, had invited into her home, almost completely unaware of Todorovic鈥檚 deranged jealousy.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 end ever,鈥欌�� said Hung, exposing the hurt that still feels raw. 鈥淎nd here we are again, reliving the nightmare as if it was yesterday.鈥欌��

A year ago, actually, when the felon had last sought extended absences from prison聽鈥� 15-day unescorted passes from Grand Valley Institution for Women in Kitchener, granted with conditions. Despite the new and improved Todorovic having proved herself not much different from the old and entitled Todorovic.

In 2016, after her first-degree murder conviction was upheld on appeal, after she鈥檇 been transferred from a youth facility to an adult prison for women, Todorovic had sought and obtained one-day escorted passes to attend a Brampton halfway house and anger management counselling. She continued nudging towards expanded off-site privileges: unescorted three-day passes in 2017, day parole for six months in 2019 with quite lenient conditions. Which was when up popped same-old same-old Todorovic, signing herself out of the halfway house to conduct a clandestine affair with a 鈥渉igh risk鈥欌�� male parolee, then conducting an affair with his best friend.

鈥淚 thought I was ready for day parole and when I got out I realized that I wasn鈥檛,鈥欌�� she told the parole board Friday. 鈥淓verything was overwhelming to me. I was embarrassed about who I was talking to and that I would be judged for it. I was keeping myself busy with the wrong people instead of focusing on myself, on my own needs and my goals.鈥欌��

Except self聽has always been Todorovic鈥檚 obsession. She pursued sexual intimacy with that parolee, even though her parole conditions required she steer clear of anyone who鈥檇 been in jail and was required to report any romantic relationship. Then she took one step over into his best friend鈥檚 bed, knowing it would provoke ill feelings, savouring the drama.

鈥淚 felt like I didn鈥檛 have control and my self-esteem really plummeted. When I got attention from the first guy, I quickly fell back into that cycle, as I did with my co-accused. I continually looked for power to feel better about myself.鈥欌��

Come on, she revelled in it. And when caught in her deception, caught breaking all her conditions, the parole was revoked, her appeal of that act lost, two further appeal bids failing.

鈥淭he board described the deception as purposeful and calculated and decided she remained a risk to public safety,鈥欌�� Hung reminded this panel. 鈥�Again in 2020, the panel denied her full parole. Clearly she remains unwilling or unable to address her capacity for deceit, manipulation, unhealthy romantic behaviour and poor transparency regarding her supervision plan. So what has changed?鈥欌��

Todorovic鈥檚 behaviour under day parole filled Hung and her family with alarm. 鈥淚t was eerily reminiscent of the relationship manipulation that led to Stefanie鈥檚 murder. Unless evidence contrary is presented at this hearing, we do not believe that she has addressed core psychological issues which directly contributed to Stefanie鈥檚 death, despite programs and counselling.

鈥淗er emotional immaturity is unchanged 10 years later.鈥欌��

She鈥檚 likely hoodwinked this parole panel, as she has the parole officer who spoke on her behalf Friday as well, the counsellors and shrinks and behaviourists who鈥檝e stuck little gold stars on Todorovic鈥檚 file.

In 15 days, chances are she鈥檒l get her coveted day parole again. If not in two weeks, then later and inevitably. That鈥檚 simply how the penal system works.

I suspect the malice will seep through her pores again, in time. Maybe some other poor shnook will get lured into her web, to be manipulated and manhandled聽鈥� if not into murder, then just as a idolizer.

Melissa the Medusa. Born that way.