Udo Haan makes first appearance before Ontario Review Board

Two months after he was found not criminally responsible in the murder of his wife, and subsequent explosion that levelled their Kitchener home, Udo Haan made his first appearance before the Ontario Review Board, the body that will decide his future.

Two months after he was found not criminally responsible in the murder of his wife, and subsequent explosion that levelled their Kitchener home, Udo Haan made his first appearance before the Ontario Review Board, the body that will decide his future.

The five-person panel heard from representatives of the hospital where Haan is currently being treated, as well as a lawyer representing the Crown and Haan’s lawyer Steve Gehl, who all agreed Haan still presents a significant threat to public safety.

It was back in August 2018 that Haan killed his wife Edra and then opened a drip line in the basement of their Sprucedale Cres. home causing it to explode.

In February 2023, a judge determined Haan was not criminally responsible for the offences, as he was suffering from delusions at the time.

The joint recommendation presented to the Ontario Review Board is that Haan remains detained in hospital care for the next year, as his mental condition still needs a specific diagnosis and further treatment.

While Haan has a history of non-compliance with treatment, hospital representatives say thus far he has been co-operative with his current care team, including participating in recommended programming and medication changes.