Kelly Marie Ellard was born on August 9, 1982, in Canada. Raised in a suburban area of British Columbia, her early life was marked by a seemingly ordinary upbringing. However, by her teenage years, Ellard had developed a reputation for being combative, assertive, and often in conflict with authority. She was only 15 years old when she became involved in one of Canada’s most notorious teen murder cases—the killing of 14-year-old Reena Virk.

At the time of the crime, Ellard was part of a friend group known for their troubled behavior and involvement in petty violence. There is little publicly available about her family life, but her interactions with peers were aggressive, and she was known to have a bold personality that often clashed with others.

Her name would soon be forever linked to one of Canada’s most infamous and tragic bullying cases, where teenage violence spiraled into murder. After her involvement in the Reena Virk case, Ellard's life became consumed by legal trials, public scrutiny, and eventually incarceration. Over the years, she changed her name to Kerry Marie Sim, gave birth while imprisoned, and participated in rehabilitation and parole programs. However, her journey has been one of repeated setbacks and revived public outrage, especially with the controversial granting—and later revoking—of parole.

On the night of November 14, 1997, Reena Virk, a 14-year-old girl of South Asian descent, was lured to a party near Shoreline Community School in Saanich, British Columbia. Reena had long struggled with bullying, rejection, and a deep desire to fit in with her peers. That night, everything took a horrifying turn.

After a confrontation reportedly sparked by jealousy, resentment, and rumors, a group of teenagers—six girls later known as the "Shoreline Six"—began physically assaulting Reena. One attacker, Nicole Cook, burned Reena’s face with a cigarette, triggering a group beating. Reena was punched, kicked, and humiliated before being left injured but alive near a bridge.

Despite her injuries, Reena tried to walk away, but Kelly Ellard and Warren Glowatski followed her. According to trial testimonies and court records, Ellard and Glowatski continued the assault near Craigflower Bridge. Ellard reportedly smashed Reena's head against a tree and then held her underwater in the Gorge Waterway, drowning her. Reena’s body was found eight days later, on November 22, 1997, in a nearby inlet.

The case gripped the nation. In 1998, six girls pleaded guilty or were found guilty of assault for the initial attack. Glowatski was convicted of second-degree murder in June 1999 and sentenced to life in prison. Ellard, also 15 at the time, was tried in adult court.

Ellard’s trial history is complex:
First trial (March 2000): Convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life.
Appeal (2003): Conviction overturned due to improper cross-examination by the Crown.
Second trial (2004): Declared a mistrial after a deadlocked jury.
Third trial (2005): Found guilty again and sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for seven years.
Appeal (2006): BC Court of Appeal overturned the conviction.
Supreme Court (June 12, 2009): Reinstated the 2005 conviction, ruling the trial was fair and the judicial error harmless.

Years later, while imprisoned, Ellard gave birth and took part in mother-toddler prison programs. In 2017, she was granted day parole and legally changed her name to Kerry Marie Sim. Over the following years, her parole conditions were gradually expanded. However, in July 2024, her day parole was revoked due to an undisclosed breach. By January 2025, a Canada-wide warrant was issued, and she was arrested again.

Ellard’s case remains etched in Canadian memory—not only because of the brutal crime but also due to the repeated trials, legal twists, and evolving public perception. As of now, she remains incarcerated, with ongoing public and legal skepticism about any further moves toward full parole.