Where Is Kelly Ellard From Under The Bridge Now?

Hulu’s new true crime series Under the Bridge revisits the brutal murder of Canadian teen Reena Virk, who was beaten and drowned by her peers in 1997. Instead of approaching the tragedy as a straightforward investigation, the series (which is based on Rebecca Godfrey’s nonfiction book of the same name) takes time to explore the nuances of the small-town community Virk once shared with her young attackers.

Of these teens, six were convicted of assault. But only two were convicted of second-degree murder in connection with Virk’s death, and one is still in prison today. Here’s what happened to Kelly Ellard after the events of Under the Bridge.

Teen Conflict Turned Deadly

As Godfrey wrote in her book and a subsequent Vice article, most of the teens who attacked Virk at a party retreated. But as the 14-year-old began to walk home, Ellard and a boy named Warren Glowatski continued to pursue her.

Virk’s body was found in the water more than a week later, and both Ellard and Glowatski were charged in connection with her death.

Over the course of several trials, Ellard was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in 2005. (Glowatski was already serving his own sentence for the same conviction, and received full parole in 2010.)

She Has A Family Of Her Own

According to the Vancouver Sun, Ellard became a mother in 2016, and she described it as a “very motivating” experience.

“She has a kid now, so I hope she can understand the feelings of a parent,” Manjit Virk, Reena’s father, told CTV News in 2017.

In a parole hearing that same year, Ellard apologized for her role in Virk’s death and the way it forever changed the young girl’s family. “I don’t think sorry is good enough. I mean their life is completely ruined,” she said. “I feel terribly guilty and ashamed and I wish there was something I could do to make it better.”

However, she still denied purposefully drowning Virk, instead explaining that she brought the teen to the water to see if she would “wake up” after being beaten.

Neal Hall, who previously covered Virk’s murder for the paper, told the CBC he hoped Under the Bridge would be handled sensitively for all of the families involved, including Ellard’s, who has since welcomed another child. “I guess she might be worried about her children getting affected by it,” he said.

A Recent Update

As of 2023, Ellard — who now goes by a new name — was permitted to continue day parole, per Victoria’s Time Colonist. According to the Correctional Service of Canada, day parole can include “community-based activities” like working, volunteering, or going to school while still living at a residential facility.

The year before, Ellard opted not to apply for full parole. “Situationally, I’m not ready,” she said.

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