James Urbaniak, who killed his common-law wife, Jessica Martel in 2009 and was released on parole last year, has been arrested for violating his parole, according to police.
Urbaniak, who was granted full parole in July 2024, was arrested by Sherwood Park RCMP on Feb. 21 after breaching the conditions of his release. On March 7, Alberta RCMP spokesperson Troy Savinkoff confirmed the arrest, saying that Urbaniak was arrested solely for the parole violation and no additional charges have been laid.
Urbaniak was sentenced to life without parole for 10 years in the death of Jessica Martel, his common-law partner, following a domestic dispute at their Morinville home in 2009. The couple’s three young children were in the house at the time.
The Jessica Martel Memorial Foundation (JMMF), established in honour of the victim, posted on their website that they were notified in February about a Canada-wide warrant being issued for Urbaniak’s arrest due to his parole breach.
Lynne Rosychuk, Jessica’s mother and founder of JMMF, expressed her frustration with the justice system in the post. “It’s a shame that our laws in Canada are so lenient on abusers, especially the ones who kill their partner. It’s concerning to me that the parole board was concerned about his release but released him anyway.”
In memory of Jessica Martel, a domestic violence shelter called Jessie’s House was opened in Morinville in 2020 for the St. Albert/Sturgeon County region.
-With files by Riley Tjosvold
