MANDEL: Puppet master killer wins another chance at freedom

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Teen killer Melissa Todorovic has pulled the strings once more — winning another chance at freedom.

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Five years after she messed up her day parole with a secret love triangle with two ex-cons, using sex once again to manipulate men, the puppet master who ordered the killing of teenager Stefanie Rengel has been granted four 15-day passes at a Barrie halfway house to work on her re-entry into society.

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“This is a very long journey and you can’t do it alone,” said parole board member Lynn Carter. “Because loneliness is one of your risk factors.”

Actually, manipulating men to get what she wants is her risk factor.

In 2008, the jealous Todorovic was just 15 when she warned there would be no more sex unless boyfriend David Bagshaw killed 14-year-old Rengel, who had briefly dated her beau two years before.

After an unrelenting eight-month barrage of phone calls, 50,000 MSN messages and thousands of texts rife with sexual blackmail — “Ur getting blocked until u kill her” — her lovesick boyfriend finally agreed. On New Year’s Day in 2008, days shy of his 18th birthday, Bagshaw lured Stefanie from her East York home and stabbed her six times, ripping through the black sweater her mother had given her for Christmas just days before.

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Both Bagshaw and Todorovic were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced as adults to life in prison. As Justice Ian Nordheimer opined at her sentencing, “The puppet master is not less blameworthy than the puppet.”

Just 11 years into her sentence, she convinced the board to release her on day parole with pretty lenient conditions: continue counselling and report any relationships.

Within two months, Todorovic was back to her old ways.

She’d sign herself out of her Brampton halfway house to conduct her clandestine affair with a high-risk offender she’d met at a group for former inmates. Unsatisfied with his sexual prowess, she then began a second secret affair with his best friend.

When her deception came to light, Todorovic was hauled back to Grand Valley Institution for Women and her day parole formally revoked in 2019.

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Now 32, Todorovic backed out of a planned parole hearing last fall at the last minute. This time, she confessed to being nervous in her new bid for unescorted absences.

“I first just want to apologize to Stefanie’s family for having to put them through this process again,” began Todorovic, wearing a cardigan and glasses, and looking younger than her years. “I am ashamed of the decisions I made while I was on parole. I did put myself in the same situation.”

She insisted it was the male who persistently pursued her and she eventually gave in because she figured no one else would want her. “When I got attention from the first man, it helped boost my self-esteem,” Todorovic explained. “I think I just got caught up with the attention and I felt wanted and I was empowered by that.”

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Sex, she admitted, was her power.

Todorovic assured the sympathetic board she now realizes her low self-esteem and issues with poor body image — she’s been battling binge eating — have led her into unhealthy relationships where she then tries to manipulate men. “Now I see it as a pattern,” she said.

Better late than never.

Through therapy, Todorovic said she’s learning to accept herself and reach out to her family for support when she’s lonely, which has included rebuilding her relationship with her brother. She’s matured and made strides to be more open and honest.

After saying all the right things, it took just over ten minutes for the board to come back and approve her request.

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Carter first briefly mentioned Stefanie’s family in attendance.

“We’ve heard their heartbreak moving forward, we’ve heard their loss and they’ve certainly been taken into consideration today when making this decision.”

Did they really? Stefanie’s father Adolfo Rengel was disappointed, but not surprised.

“Right from the beginning, it sounded like the board felt sorry or compassionate for Melissa. When questions were asked, the board supplied ideas to Melissa, which she used to answer the question,” he complained.

“I love the part when she said, ‘I’m developing a great relationship with my brother and my parents,’” Rengel said sarcastically.

“Well, that’s great for her, since she took that away (from us) when she killed Stefanie.”

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