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Solved case · 2010
The short answer
On November 17, 1990, in Altona, Manitoba, 15-year-old Curtis Klassen was murdered and 14-year-old Tyler Pelke was severely injured by a 17-year-old attacker, who was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder and later granted full parole in 2020.
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Suggest coverage for Murder of Curtis KlassenThe case file
On the night of November 17, 1990, in Altona, Manitoba, Canada, 14-year-old Tyler Pelke and 15-year-old Curtis Klassen were at Pelke's home after attending an event for their hockey team. While the two were watching a movie, a 17-year-old attacker knocked on the door and threatened them with a .357 Magnum. The attacker tied up, tortured, and sexually assaulted both boys before stabbing them and setting fire to the house. Klassen was killed in the attack. Pelke, despite suffering a slit throat and third-degree burns to 25% of his body, managed to escape the burning house and alerted a neighbour, which led to authorities being notified.
The attacker was arrested shortly after the attack and confessed to the murder. Classmates later described him as a "bully" and "manipulative." During his trial, he testified that he had been molested as a child and bullied for being gay, and stated he had harbored "revenge fantasies" after Pelke and Klassen made a demeaning comment to him. Although he was 17 at the time of the offense, he was prosecuted and convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder. He was sentenced to life in prison, to be served at Rockwood Institution, with no parole eligibility until 2015.
While incarcerated, the offender was described as a model inmate and earned degrees in business administration and human resources. Pelke, meanwhile, became a firefighter, inspirational speaker, and victim's rights advocate. Pelke visited the offender in prison and expressed forgiveness toward him, though he also testified against the offender's release, stating, "A life sentence was given and, as such, should be served." The offender began receiving temporary absences from prison starting in 2010. In 2020, thirty years after the murder, the offender was granted full parole — a conditional release allowing an offender to serve part of a sentence in the community — though he was barred from returning to Altona.
The case, including the original crime and the offender's eventual release, drew significant attention from Canadian media. A documentary about the murder, titled Altona, premiered in 2023 at the Whistler Film Festival, where it won the Best Documentary award. The offender did not appear on camera in the documentary but agreed to an interview that was transcribed and read by an actor.
6 dated entries · 1990–2023
Earl Giesbrecht knocked on the door of Tyler Pelke's home in Altona, Manitoba, threatened Pelke and Curtis Klassen with a firearm, tied up, tortured, and sexually assaulted them, then stabbed both and set fire to the house, killing Klassen. Pelke escaped and alerted a neighbour.
Giesbrecht was arrested shortly after the attack and confessed to the murder.
Giesbrecht began receiving temporary absences from prison.
Giesbrecht became eligible for parole under the terms of his life sentence.
Giesbrecht was granted full parole (conditional release), forbidden from returning to Altona.
A documentary about the murder, Altona, premiered at the Whistler Film Festival and won the Best Documentary award.
3 named in this file
Victims first. Every legal label is set from public records and court outcomes, not from the prose.
15-year-old killed in the attack on November 17, 1990.[3]
14-year-old who survived severe injuries including a slit throat and third-degree burns to 25% of his body; later became a firefighter and victim's rights advocate.[3]
Convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder at age 17; sentenced to life in prison with no parole until 2015; granted full parole in 2020.[3]
From the record
3 cited
Coverage is not a source: every fact in this file rests on the records below.
PressCBC NewsAccessed Jul 10, 2026
Presswinnipegfreepress.comAccessed Jul 10, 2026
EncyclopedicWikipediaAccessed Jul 10, 2026
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