GTA hit man granted limited release

Hit man Charles Gagné was denied in his bid for full parole, but will be released on a limited basis into the GTA, where he murdered former pro boxer and reputed mob figure Eddie Melo and his friend Jaoa (Johnny) Pavao two decades ago.

Gagné, 48, a husky former fitness club worker, appeared to tear up briefly while giving evidence in an online parole hearing on Friday, but showed little emotion when he heard the board’s decision.

Gagné had sought unescorted temporary absences and day parole, with release to a halfway house in Toronto’s downtown.

He was granted 60 days of unescorted temporary absences in the GTA but no overnight, unescorted stays.

A decision will be made later on his bid for day parole, M.W. Sandford of the parole board said.

Gagné was on an unescorted day pass from an Ottawa-area halfway house on April 6, 2001, when he murdered Melo, 40, and Pavao, 42, near Hurontario Street and the QEW for the promise of $75,000.

Gagné is serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.

The former Quebec resident is now in minimum-security Beaver Creek institution in cottage country north of Toronto,

Gagné told the board he was never officially in the Hells Angels program, although he did move in the bikers’ circles.

He said he was motivated by an urge to move up in the underworld when he agreed to murder Melo, who once was the Toronto driver for now-deceased Montreal mobster Santos (Frank) Cotroni.

He told the board in an earlier hearing that Pavao was killed because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Gagné said he agreed to help the prosecution in the Melo and Pavao murders after he felt abandoned by so-called friends he met in prison.

His record also includes convictions for aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and a variety of driving, property, weapon and drug offences and breaches of trust.

As part of his plea deal for helping the Crown, Gagné was allowed to become eligible for parole after 12 years.