Convicted B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, who preyed on women he lured from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside to his rural pig farm, has died.
The 74-year-old was violently attacked by a fellow inmate in a Quebec prison on May 19. Pickton was rushed to hospital where he was put into a medically induced coma before succumbing to his injuries Friday.
“The inmate’s next of kin have been notified,” the Correctional Service of Canada said in a statement confirming the death. “We have also contacted registered victims, in accordance with their specified notification preferences.”
Quebec provincial police say the assault occurred around 5:15 p.m. inside the Port-Cartier Institution and a 51-year-old suspect remained incarcerated following the attack.
“The major crimes investigation division is currently conducting an investigation to shed light on this event,” police spokesperson Hugues Beaulieu said in a statement last week.
The Correctional Service of Canada says staff at the maximum-security prison were not involved in the assault.
“The assailant has been identified and the appropriate actions have been taken,” the agency said following the assault. “The safety and security of institutions is paramount and an investigation into what occurred is currently underway.”
The Port-Cartier Institution is approximately 500 kilometres northeast of Quebec City, and can accommodate more than 230 inmates, according to the correctional service.
‘Devastating impact’
Pickton was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in 2007 after being charged with the murders of 26 women.
The remains and DNA of 33 women were found during a search of Pickton’s pig farm in Port Coquitlam, B.C., though the killer had bragged about murdering a total of 49.
Pickton’s confirmed victims were Sereena Abotsway, Marnie Frey, Andrea Joesbury, Georgina Papin, Mona Wilson and Brenda Ann Wolfe.
“We are mindful that this offender’s case has had a devastating impact on communities in British Columbia and across the country, including Indigenous peoples, victims and their families,” the correctional service said Friday. “Our thoughts are with them.”