A woman convicted of pressuring her boyfriend to murder his teenage ex-girlfriend in 2008 has been granted day parole for six months by the Parole Board of Canada. Melissa Todorovic, who was convicted of first-degree murder for ordering her then-boyfriend to kill 14-year-old Stefanie Rengel, will be living in a halfway house under strict conditions once a bed is available. Todorovic, who was 15 at the time of the crime, was motivated by jealousy towards Rengel, who had previously dated her boyfriend. This tragic incident occurred when Todorovic manipulated her partner by threatening to end their relationship or withhold intimacy until he carried out the grisly act.
Among the conditions for Todorovic’s day release are reporting all relationships to a parole supervisor, maintaining a nightly curfew, refraining from contacting the victim’s family, and undergoing psychological counseling. The decision to grant her day parole was based on her good behavior in prison and the progress she has shown towards rehabilitation.
Despite both Todorovic and her boyfriend receiving life sentences, she became eligible to apply for parole after seven years. However, her previous attempt at day parole in 2018 was cut short when she was discovered to be involved in a secret romantic entanglement with two other men. In 2024, she was granted four unescorted absences to a halfway house for 15 days each.