You probably remember the headlines. A wealthy aviation heir and his buddy from the wrong side of the tracks lured a stranger away for a test drive and never brought him back. It felt like a bad movie script. But for the families of Tim Bosma, Laura Babcock, and even Wayne Millard, the reality was a decade-long nightmare that hasn't actually ended. Honestly, if you haven't followed the case since the big trials in 2016 and 2017, you’ve missed some of the most controversial updates in Canadian legal history.
A lot of people think Dellen Millard and Mark Smich are just rotting away in a maximum-security hole forever. That’s not quite how it works anymore.
The Shocking Prison Transfers of 2025
Late in 2025, news broke that caused a massive stir across Ontario. Dellen Millard—a man convicted of three separate first-degree murders—was quietly moved out of maximum security. He’s now at a medium-security facility in Gravenhurst. This followed a similar move for Mark Smich, who was transferred to the same region back in 2021.
The families are, understandably, livid.
Sharlene Bosma, Tim’s widow, didn’t hold back. She described the move as a "condescending pat on the head" from Corrections Canada. It’s a bitter pill to swallow. How does a serial killer get "rewarded" for good behavior? Experts like Howard Sapers, a former correctional investigator, explain it differently. He says the law requires inmates to be held in the "least restrictive" environment possible based on risk assessments. It’s not a "get out of jail free" card, but for the victims' families, it feels like a betrayal of justice.
The Motive Mystery: Why Did They Do It?
This is where the story gets really weird. Usually, there's a reason. Money? Revenge? With Millard and Smich, the "why" was always blurry.
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Millard was a millionaire. He didn't need Tim Bosma’s truck.
Prosecutors argued it was about a "thrill" or a bizarre desire to commit the perfect crime. For Laura Babcock, the motive was allegedly a messy love triangle involving Millard’s then-girlfriend, Christina Noudga. But Smich? He wasn't even in that triangle. His lawyer argued he was just a tag-along who got caught up in Millard’s orbit.
The Victims Left Behind
- Laura Babcock (July 2012): Her body was never found. The Crown proved she was killed and burned in a commercial incinerator named "The Eliminator."
- Wayne Millard (November 2012): Originally ruled a suicide. Dellen shot his own father in the eye while he slept to inherit the family fortune and Millardair.
- Tim Bosma (May 2013): A father and husband who just wanted to sell his truck. He was the "random" victim that finally brought the whole house of cards down.
The Legal Loophole: Life Sentences Aren't What They Used to Be
When the gavels first dropped, Millard was looking at a 75-year "stacked" sentence. He would have been 103 before even smelling fresh air.
Then 2022 happened.
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that consecutive life sentences—stacking 25-year parole ineligibility periods—were "cruel and unusual." Basically, they struck it down. This means Millard and Smich are now technically eligible to apply for parole after 25 years, regardless of how many people they killed.
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Don't panic yet. "Eligible to apply" is a huge distance from "getting out." Given the predatory nature of these crimes, the chances of a parole board letting them walk in our lifetime are slim. But the fact that the door is even a crack open is what keeps the families up at night.
What Most People Miss About the Evidence
Everyone talks about "The Eliminator," that massive animal incinerator. But the real "smoking guns" were digital.
Millard and Smich were incredibly arrogant. They took photos of the incinerator glowing in the night. They sent texts about "pedigreed dogs" (a coded way they referred to their victims). Smich even performed a rap song for his friends about killing a girl and burning her body.
He literally sang about his crimes.
During the trials, they tried to flip on each other. Smich claimed Millard was the mastermind and the shooter. Millard’s defense—when he wasn't representing himself and making a mess of it—tried to paint Smich as the loose cannon. The juries didn't buy it. They saw two men who fueled each other's darkest impulses.
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Current Status in 2026
As of early 2026, both men remain incarcerated in Ontario. Their appeals have been largely exhausted. In 2023, the Court of Appeal for Ontario upheld their convictions for the Bosma and Babcock murders, and Millard lost his appeal for his father’s murder.
He’s even picked up new charges behind bars. In March 2023, Millard was convicted of assault causing bodily harm for a prison stabbing. The guy just can’t stay out of trouble, even when he's already serving life.
Key Takeaways for Following the Case
- Parole Watch: Keep an eye on the year 2038. That's roughly when the 25-year mark from their 2013 arrests hits.
- Security Levels: Inmate transfers are based on internal "scoring" systems, not the gravity of the original crime. This is a point of major political debate in Canada right now.
- The "Eliminator" Legacy: The case changed how police handle missing persons reports in Ontario, specifically regarding "low-risk" adults who disappear without a trace.
The saga of Dellen Millard and Mark Smich serves as a grim reminder that real-life monsters don't always look the part. One was a silver-spoon pilot; the other was an aspiring rapper. Together, they became one of the most prolific and senseless killing duos in Canadian history.
If you're interested in the finer details of the legislative changes affecting their sentences, you should look into the R. v. Bissonnette ruling. It explains exactly why the "75-year" sentence disappeared and what it means for future multiple-murder cases in Canada. Staying informed on these legal shifts is the best way to understand why justice in these cases feels like it's constantly moving the goalposts.