Her crimes are fictionalized in Hulu’s Under The Bridge and if you’re wondering where is Kelly Ellard now, you might be surprised. Ellard changed her name to Kerry Sim and was found guilty of murdering her teenage peer Reena Virk in 1997, going down in history as one of Canada’s most shocking slayings.
The show explores the events leading up to 14-year-old Virk’s death—the show premiered on April 17, 2024. The series is based on a memoir by Rebecca Godfrey of the same name, published in 2005. The book explores the complex dynamics of teenage relationships, peer pressure, and bullying; examining the lives of both a victim and perpetrators, providing insights into their backgrounds, motivations, and actions.
On November 14, 1997, Virk was invited to a party under the Gorge Waterway bridge, in Victoria, British Columbia, and never returned home. Her heavily beaten body was found eight days later on November 22, 1997, in the waterway in suburban Saanich. Convicted of second-degree murder in 2000, here’s where Kelly Ellard is now.
Where is Kelly Ellard now?
Ellard, who as mentioned changed her name to Kerry Sim, is still in jail for the murder of Virk, though her day parole has been extended after being sentenced to life behind bars in British Columbia. Day parole in Canada is a form of release that allows prisoners to participate in public activities during the day while still requiring them to return to a prison or halfway house each night.
At the time of writing, Sim is 41 years old. A parole board decision in April 2024 confirmed the continuation of her day-release privileges and observed her response to Hulu’s Under The Bridge, per Vancouver News as part of that decision.
“You recently also demonstrated some remorse and victim empathy after a discussion about an upcoming television series based on your crimes. You said the series is disrespectful to the victim and her family, and that index offense was so horrendous that it would re-victimize the victim’s family.”
Sim was initially granted day parole in 2017 and received extended overnight leave privileges beginning in 2020. But in 2021, her parole was suspended over incidents of domestic violence between Sim and her then-partner, who is the father of her two children.
After a psychological assessment in 2016, a parole board observed: “According to the assessment, you present a moderate to high-moderate risk of future violence, particularly over the longer term. The risk would be higher if you use substances or associate with antisocial or substance-abusing others,” per Global News.
The details of Kelly Ellard’s crime against Reena Virk
The story of what happened to Reena Virk is nothing short of heartbreaking. At 14, Virk was the victim of bullying for everything ranging from her appearance, religion, weight, and ethnicity. She struggled to fit in at times and was accused of spreading rumors.
On November 14, 1997, Virk was invited to a party under the Gorge Waterway bridge, in Victoria, British Columbia, by a group of friends. At one point, Nicole Cook asked Virk why she was spreading rumors; Virk called her a “bitch” (per the MSNBC News’ special, Bloodlust Under the Bridge), so Cook put out a cigarette on Virk’s forehead.
Cook’s best friends, Ellard and Pleich began hitting and kicking Reena, and the rest of the group, including Warren Glowatski, joined in. When Virk tried to escape, Ellard, then 15, and Glowatsk, then 16, followed and kept attacking her. Glowatski testified that Ellard had smashed Reena’s head into a tree and then held her underwater until Virk drowned.
Virk’s body was found eight days later, on November 22, 1997, in the waterway in suburban Saanich. Per the New York Times, her neck, back, and arms were broken; she had sustained multiple blows throughout her body and suffered a “convulsion injury as often seen in car crash victims.”
