The man who killed a security guard at the downtown Guelph train station in 2020 is still considered a significant public safety threat, according to a new report from the Ontario Review Board.
They suggest Jordan Langelier should remain at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton in their Forensic Psychiatry program.
On Jan. 15, 2020, Mario Ruffolo was violently assaulted and killed while working at the train station.
While Langelier was on trial for the second-degree murder of the 63-year-old security guard, court reviewed security video in which Ruffolo was seen reaching into his pocket to offer Langelier a cigarette. That’s when Langelier punched him, causing Ruffolo to fall backwards. Langelier continued to punch Ruffolo in the head, as many as 30 times, as well as kicking and stomping him on the head.
In Oct. 2020, the 21-year-old was deemed not criminally responsible in Ruffolo’s death. A court assessment determined he had been suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the 2020 incident.
Review results
According to testimony from a psychiatrist, Langelier blames drugs for his violent behavior.
“Mr. Langelier believes that his use of crystal methamphetamine is his only risk factor because the treatment team has not seen any decompensation in his mental state, despite his repeated cannabis use,” the ORB report explained.
Mental health experts believe Langelier has borderline personality disorder, substance-induced psychosis disorder and cannabis use disorder.
The report noted that he was caught using cannabis while at the facility.
Langelier insists he has the right to use cannabis, but his doctor warned any substances, whether crystal methamphetamine or cannabis, could increase his public safety risk.
“Mr. Langelier does not understand his treatment team’s concern about his cannabis use, often dismissing and downplaying the risk of using cannabis,” the report said.
It also indicated that when using cannabis, Langelier’s privileges at the facility were put on hold, including his ability to play video games. The report noted he largely stayed in his room to play on the X-Box.
The report said Langelier has not been able to demonstrate that he can control his urges for cannabis or abstain from it.
“If Mr. Langelier were permitted to use cannabis, the frequency of his use would significantly impact his mental stability and cause him to experience another substance-induced psychotic state,” the report stated.
Langelier’s future aspirations
Over the next decade, the review board said Langelier hopes to be out of the psychiatric system, in school, saving money and pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities and hobbies.
“He also expressed a desire to fall in love, have a family and feel less depressed,” the report read.
While Langelier’s goals are pro-social, the board noted “he does not appear to fully grasp the required steps and resources needed achieve the same.”
Langelier’s doctor thinks he could live independently without supervision, but Langelier also believes marijuana can help manage his depression.
The board concluded that Langelier should abstain from cannabis and that he “needs to be carefully monitored for his use of substances, and anything less than supervised accommodation would put public safety at risk.”
They also said it is necessary and appropriate to keep him detained.
