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A man who was convicted of manslaughter is yet again back on the streets in the Waterloo Region.

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Kevin Koehler, 60, had been released from federal custody after completing two-thirds of his sentence on Oct. 16, 2025.

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But his taste of freedom was short-lived when he was re-arrested the following day for breaching the conditions of his release — namely, that he avoid purchasing and/or consuming alcohol or controlled substances.

“Mr. Koehler has an extensive criminal history of violent offence convictions including criminal negligence causing death, assault with weapon, assault, and assault police,” cops advised the public in a news release at the time.

After his arrest, Koehler appeared in court, which heard that less than five-and-a-half hours after his release, he went to an LCBO on Victoria Street in Kitchener and bought a one-litre bottle of fortified wine.

The career criminal pleaded guilty to a breach of recognizance of Dec. 5, and was sentenced to six months behind bars, less time already served, adding up to about three months.

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On Friday, the Waterloo Regional Police Service announced he had been released back into the community.

Koehler must follow several restrictions, including abiding by a curfew and, once again, abstaining from buying or consuming alcohol or controlled substances unless prescribed by a physician.

Police reiterated once again in their release that they believe Koehler poses a “significant risk” to public safety and he remains a high risk to reoffend or breach the terms set out by the court.

History of deadly violence

Koehler served a manslaughter sentence for the 2013 choking death of his roommate, Mary Anne May, 55, in their Kitchener apartment.

Court heard that she moved in with him out of financial necessity while on disability benefits and working as a cleaner.

A lengthy dispute between the two ended in violence on Sept. 18, 2013, when Koehler broke down the woman’s door and beat and choked her to death.

Koehler wrapped her body in a tarp and put it in a bicycle trailer, then biked to a grassy area near the Grand River and dumped May’s body. It was found the next day.

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He was charged with second-degree murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter because it was deemed that there was no intent to kill when Koehler told a judge, “I was just going in to scare her but it was me who ended up scared because of the outcome.”

Drunken crash killed girls, cop

On Aug. 3, 1985, Koehler killed two teenage girls and a police officer in a high-speed crash.

He had been drinking when he got behind the wheel to drive two girls, Helen Wattam, 17, a mother of two and bride-to-be, and Christine Lindsay, 16, her maid of honour, home from a wedding rehearsal.

Cops clocked him speeding near Walkerton at 160 km/h, and he led officers on a chase before it ended with Koehler crashing into an OPP cruiser, killing the two young women and rookie OPP Const. Craig Campbell, 24.

He received just three years in prison and a lifetime driving ban after pleading guilty to criminal negligence causing death.

— With files from Brad Hunter

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