The criminal history of David Richard Morin, a 32-year-old man from British Columbia, has taken another grim turn. Morin, who has a history of violent crimeshas been charged with manslaughter in the stabbing death of 54-year-old Michael Smadu in Vancouver on September 3, 2026.
This latest incident adds to a troubling pattern of behavior that has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in managing high-risk offenders. Morin’s case has sparked calls for criminal justice reform from community leaders and legal experts alike.
The Fatal Stabbing on East 6th Avenue
On the night of September 3, 2026, Vancouver police responded to a call near East 6th Avenue and Fraser Street, where they found Michael Smadu with fatal stab wounds. Despite the efforts of first responders, Smadu succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) later identified David Richard Morin as the suspect in the case.
Morin’s arrest for this fatal stabbing comes just three years after he was convicted of aggravated assault for a random attack on a tourist in downtown Vancouver. In June 2026, Morin approached a 25-year-old man waiting in line at a Tim Hortons and repeatedly stabbed him in the back and shoulder before fleeing the scene. For this crime, Morin was sentenced to three years in prison.
A History of Violent Crimes and Breaches
Morin’s criminal history dates back to 2012 in Williams Lake. In 2017, he was convicted of threatening a woman with a hatchet and sexually assaulting her in Prince George. His release from prison in June 2026 was met with a public warning from the Vancouver Police Department due to his significant risk to the community and high risk of re-offending.
Following his release, Morin was rearrested in for breaching the conditions of his statutory release. In, he was declared unlawfully at large and sentenced to 20 days in jail in May for escaping lawful custody. Despite these interventions, Morin continued to commit crimes, including a robbery in Surrey in and a theft two weeks later. On March 12, he was sentenced to 132 days in jail for the robbery, followed by two years of probation.
Calls for Criminal Justice Reform
Vancouver city councillor Peter Meiszner has been vocal about the need for criminal justice reformstating, “This person is the poster child for everything that’s wrong with our criminal justice system. It’s just outrageous; we need criminal justice reform now.”
Former prosecutor Rob Dhanu has suggested that the Crown could seek to have Morin incarcerated indefinitely as a dangerous offender following any future convictions. “This is your classic dangerous offender type case… escalating conduct,” Dhanu said. “It’s serious, there’s breaches of court orders and there’s no indication that there’s been an ability to control this behaviour in the past and the question is, can it be controlled in the future.”
The Path Forward
Morin was set to be released in the coming days when his robbery sentence expires, but he will remain in custody on the manslaughter charge. He is expected to appear in court on July 3, 2026. The case has raised important questions about how the criminal justice system handles repeat offenders and the measures needed to protect the public from individuals who pose a significant risk.
The tragic death of Michael Smadu serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of failing to address the underlying issues that contribute to violent crime. As the legal process unfolds, the community and legal experts will be watching closely to see how the system responds to this high-profile case.
