91原创

Skip to content

Man who murdered 91原创 couple in 2001 denied day parole

William James McCotter considered in 鈥榟ighest category to commit a new domestic assault鈥
24086774_web1_210201-LAT-McCotter-denied-day-parole-crime-site_1
Two people were attacked and killed on this 91原创 City street in 2001. The man responsible was denied day parole in a just-released decision. (file)

A man who murdered his former girlfriend and her boyfriend on the street outside their 91原创 City apartment has been denied day parole.

William James McCotter, the man convicted of the 2001 murders of John Cleaveland Heasman, 37, and Linda Lee Anderson, 39, is considered in the 鈥渉ighest category to commit a new domestic assault,鈥 according to just-released decisions by a parole board panel and a board appeal division hearing.

In a five-page written Oct. 5 decision denying day parole, the panel said McCotter, now 57, had developed a 鈥渘egative fixation鈥 on his female parole officer, forcing a change in his case management team (CMT).

It was 鈥渃onsistent with past concerns about your behavior towards female staff鈥 the panel commented, describing McCotter as 鈥減ushing boundaries and inappropriate behavior.鈥

The decision noted a psychologist has assessed McCotter鈥檚 overall risk 鈥渇or violent re-offending, and in particular spousal violence, as high.鈥

READ MORE: Man who killed 91原创 couple with 2脳4 denied parole, again

McCotter appealed the October ruling to the parole board appeal division, which upheld the denial of parole in a Jan. 20. decision.

While he had complained the board did not consider a 92-page submission he had filed two days after the hearing, the appeal panel ruled that McCotter had 鈥渉ad more than enough time鈥 to submit his documents, particularly since he had said, in August, that he would need three to five days to complete them.

McCotter was picked up almost immediately after he brutally kicked and bludgeoned his ex-girlfriend, Anderson, and her common law partner, Heasman, on Dec. 2, 2001.

He used a 2脳4 and steel-toed boots to beat and kick the pair to death outside their 91原创 City apartment.

Anderson had a brief relationship with McCotter a few years before she started going out with Heasman.

A year before the murders, McCotter kicked in the door of Anderson鈥檚 apartment and threatened Heasman, the decision related.

McCotter pleaded guilty to criminal harassment and received one year鈥檚 probation on condition that he had no contact with his former girlfriend.

Despite that, he contacted her on two occasions, then claimed she willingly visited him.

His trial heard that on the day of the murders he stalked the couple and purchased steel toed boots. He parked outside their apartment, got out and used the boots to kick both his victims in the head repeatedly.

He also beat the pair with a 2脳4 that he pulled out of a truck parked at the scene.

McCotter managed to delay his trial until April 2006 by repeatedly firing lawyers. He was found guilty in June of that year on two counts of second-degree murder, which carries an automatic life sentence.

READ MORE: Double murderer continues to victimize families from jail

In 2010, McCotter appealed his conviction. The challenge was dismissed in 2012.

Victim impact statements describe the 鈥減rofound loss and pain鈥 family members of the victims continue to suffer, the board told McCotter.

鈥淭he victims speak of having a hole in the their hearts and having to put on a brave face at Christmas and other special days. They speak of how their families have been broken and how time does not heal. The victims also express their fear for the community should you ever be released.鈥

Previous parole reports show McCotter has referred to the murders as 鈥渢he incident鈥 or 鈥渢he fight鈥 and tried to justify his actions by saying most people believe in 鈥渢it for tat.鈥


Is there more to the story? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on and follow us on .


Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I鈥檓 the guy you鈥檒l often see out at community events and happenings around town.
Read more



(or

91原创

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }