Calgary psychiatrist tells court convicted rapist of 90-year-old woman remains high risk to reoffend
Dr. David Tano told the Calgary Court of King's Bench that Duran Ross Buffalo, 41, scored at the highest level on recidivism tools, as the Crown seeks an indeterminate sentence.
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A Calgary psychiatrist told a dangerous offender hearing Thursday that Duran Ross Buffalo, 41, remains high risk to reoffend, and that managing him in the community at present would be very difficult.
Buffalo was convicted by a Calgary jury on Feb. 7, 2025, of aggravated sexual assault and break and enter to commit that offence, after breaking into a 90-year-old woman's apartment at an assisted living facility in northwest Calgary on Jan. 1, 2021. Crown prosecutor Matt Dalidowicz told the court that Buffalo has been convicted of sexually abusing six females, five minors and the 90-year-old woman since 1999.
Dr. David Tano testified that Buffalo scored at the highest level, consistently, on multiple risk assessment tools for criminal recidivism.
"Should nothing change and should Mr. Buffalo continue to present the same way that he is at this time, to manage him in the community, at this time, would be very, very difficult," Tano told the court.
Tano said completing substance use, anger management and sex offender treatment programs might improve Buffalo's chances of future community management, but that many hurdles remain before he would be safe. He also said Buffalo showed signs of psychosis, which he attributes likely to years of substance abuse and childhood trauma, and that there is no evidence Buffalo's sexual offences were related to psychosis. Buffalo alleges he was sexually abused by a relative as a child.
The Crown is asking Justice Michele Hollins to impose an indeterminate prison sentence on Buffalo, with no fixed end date and release reviewed by the Parole Board of Canada.
Buffalo is not represented by counsel. Defence lawyer Bev Broadhurst was appointed amicus to cross-examine witnesses and make arguments on his behalf. Buffalo told the court after the Crown's opening, "I just want all the evil not to be in my life... I don't want to be hurt." His position on the designation has not been given.
The two-week hearing resumes Friday with more testimony.
