WINNIPEG — A Manitoba man sentenced to life in prison after a judge convicted him of sending letter bombs to his ex-wife and two lawyers in 2015 has been denied full parole.
A parole board hearing for Guido Amsel took place earlier this month, 10 years after Amsel committed his crimes.
The board found that despite Amsel's generally behaving positively while incarcerated and participating in some programming, he shows no remorse for his actions and continues to believe he was set up by police and his ex-wife.
"You continue to require a lot of improvement. You present with a lack of victim empathy, remorse and insight. This persistent denial, combined with the severity and targeted nature of your violence, indicates that you remain a serious and ongoing risk to the victims and public safety," a written parole board decision from Aug. 13 states, referencing a hearing that took place with Amsel.
"It is the board's opinion that you will by reoffending, present an undue risk to society if released on full parole and that your release will not contribute to the protection of society by facilitating your reintegration into society as a law-abiding citizen."
Amsel, who the report said is 58, was found guilty in 2018 on 15 charges, including four counts of attempted murder.
His trial heard he became so enraged over perceived mistreatment at the hands of his former wife and lawyers who had represented both sides of the couple in a dispute that he sent explosive devices to their places of employment through Canada Post in July 2015.
Only one of the devices went off, causing Maria Mitousis, a Winnipeg lawyer who had represented Amsel's ex-wife in a lawsuit over an auto body shop the couple had owned a decade earlier, to lose her hand.
Other letter bombs were found later that week at his former wife's workplace and at a law firm that had represented Amsel in the money dispute. Police detonated both devices safely.
Amsel's trial also heard he had previously sent an explosive device to his ex-wife's home in December 2013 but wasn't linked to the crime until the 2015 incidents. His ex-wife's home, garage and vehicle were destroyed when it detonated while no one was around. There were no injuries as a result.
After his arrest, Amsel was found to have explosive residue on his hands, the report said.
Amsel was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years. Following his initial arrest, he was not granted bail and remained in custody until sentencing.
During the parole board hearing, Amsel continued to argue that someone in the police department had planted his DNA during the investigation and that it was his opinion he was wrongfully convicted.
"It was evident that you have not made any personal change in the various domains ... you twisted your offence to some imagined conspiracy and are fixated on your distortions, and conspiracy theories," said the decision.
The board said Amsel has had few problems while in prison, aside a minor institutional charge in 2019 for activating an emergency cell call to request a phone call and a food fast in 2021 that the board said was in response to an ongoing legal matter that Amsel was not satisfied with.
The report said Amsel currently has prison employment, is not engaged in the drug subculture and hasn't had any issues with other offenders.
"Unit staff have noted that you are polite, but are also demanding and egocentric," the decision said.
Amsel has been assessed as being at high risk for violent behaviour towards a partner or ex-partner, as well as high risk for violent behaviour toward others within the family context, the decision said. He completed some programming in 2023 but was rated as needing to improve on his overall ability and commitment to use the skills he acquired.
He was moved from maximum to medium security, and the report said Amsel is engaged in his correctional plan.
The decision said that Amsel is a permanent resident of Canada and is subject to a deportation order when he is released. Amsel has submitted an application to his home country of Germany for an international transfer.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 25, 2025.
Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press
