The Ontario Review Board (ORB) has lifted a drug ban for Richard P. Pillar, a man found not criminally responsible for stabbing an 83-year-old stranger in the eye after using crystal methamphetamine and smoking cannabis. The decision, released April 15, 2026, notes that Pillar has been living in the community since November 2021 without hospital readmission.
Background of the Attack
On September 28, 2016, in Windsor, Ontario, Pillar attacked 83-year-old Rina Campagna as she walked to the bank. According to the ORB decision, Pillar grabbed her head and stabbed her in the eye with a knife, causing severe injuries including the loss of one eye. The two had never met and there was no provocation.
Pillar fled the scene, discarding his clothing, and was arrested later that day. He was under two probation orders prohibiting weapon possession at the time.
Mental Health and Substance Use
Pillar has diagnoses of schizophrenia, social anxiety disorder, substance use disorder (in remission), antisocial personality disorder, and borderline intellectual functioning. He was found not criminally responsible in April 2018 on charges of aggravated assault and probation violations.
On the day of the attack, Pillar had not taken his antipsychotic medication for two weeks. He used crystal methamphetamine and smoked two or three joints of cannabis, reporting that voices worsened with drug use. He also consumed tequila days earlier.
ORB Decision and Conditions
In March 2025, the ORB granted Pillar a discharge with conditions: reporting to a hospital twice monthly, abstaining from intoxicants, submitting to drug tests, and avoiding weapons. The board stated that the next year will be an important test of his resolve to maintain abstinence.
The ORB noted Pillar's progress since community living began in 2021, with no further incidents. The lifting of the drug ban reflects his commitment to recovery, though close monitoring continues.
