Charles Gagne, the man convicted of murdering boxer Eddie Melo, is set to have a new parole hearing after winning an appeal. The Parole Board of Canada will review his case in October, following claims of unfairness in the previous decision. Gagne argues that the board did not adequately consider his recently discovered Indigenous heritage when they revoked his parole.

Melo's daughter, Jess Melo, expressed her outrage at the news. "It’s mind-blowing, just absolutely mind-blowing," she said from her home in British Columbia. She criticized Gagne for using his newfound Indigenous roots to manipulate the system. Gagne, 51, is currently serving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 12 years for the 2001 murders of Melo and his friend Joao "Johnny" Pavao.

On April 6, 2001, Melo, 40, was shot outside Amici Sport Cafe in Mississauga while talking to Pavao. Gagne, who had a $75,000 contract to kill Melo, opened fire, killing both men at close range. At the time, Gagne was on day parole for a previous armed robbery conviction. He had a history of violent crime, including another shooting while on parole.

Initially charged with two counts of first-degree murder, Gagne accepted a plea deal in 2003, pleading guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for testifying against a co-accused, who was ultimately acquitted. Despite the serious nature of his crimes, Gagne was granted day parole in 2023. However, it was revoked just a year later due to multiple violations, including leaving his designated area and failing to report financial activities.

During a January hearing, the board found that Gagne had misused a weekend pass to visit family and had not disclosed risky financial investments. Jess Melo attended the hearing, believing it would be her last opportunity to address the board about her father's killer. "He broke every possible condition imaginable," she stated.

The board's decision to revoke Gagne's parole was based on his history of manipulation. They noted, "You have shown yourself to be an effective and cunning manipulator of the system. You yourself admitted in past hearings to ‘playing the game.’"

In March, Gagne filed an appeal, leading to the decision for a new review. This development means Jess Melo will have to present another victim impact statement in October. She expressed her frustration, saying, "We’re 24 years into this and I still don’t get a break."

Melo's family continues to remember him fondly. Jess described her father as a gentle soul with a big heart, lamenting that her children will never know him. She has vowed to continue fighting against Gagne's potential release, stating, "I told him I will never stop coming for him until he’s removed from an institution in a black garbage bag like the piece of trash that he is."