Robert Pickton, a notorious Canadian serial killer who fed the remains of his victims to pigs on his farm near Vancouver, has died after being attacked in prison.
The Correctional Service of Canada indicated in a press release that Pickton, 71, died in hospital on Friday, following the attack perpetrated on May 19 by another inmate of the Port-Cartier establishment, in the province of Quebec.
A 51-year-old inmate was in custody for the attack on Pickton, police spokesman Hugues Beaulieu said earlier this month.
Robert “Willie” Pickton was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in 2007, with a maximum period of parole ineligibility of 25 years, after being charged with the murder of 26 women.
Police began searching the Pickton farm in the Vancouver suburb of Port Coquitlam more than 22 years ago in what would be a years-long investigation into the disappearances of dozens of women.
The remains or DNA of 33 women, many recovered from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, were found on the Pickton farm in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. He once bragged to an undercover police officer that he had killed a total of 49 women.
During his trial, prosecution witness Andrew Bellwood said Pickton told him how he strangled his victims and fed their remains to his pigs. Health officials once issued a notice about contaminated meat to neighbors who might have purchased pork from Pickton’s farm, fearing the meat might contain human remains.
Cynthia Cardinal, whose sister Georgina Papin was murdered by Pickton, said she was “overwhelmed” with happiness when she received a text message earlier this month telling her he had been attacked. She called it “karma.”
Vancouver police have been criticized for not taking these cases seriously because many of the missing people were sex workers or drug addicts.
Correctional Service Canada said it was investigating Pickton’s attack.
“The investigation will examine all facts and circumstances surrounding the assault, including whether policies and protocols were followed,” the service said in the statement.
“We recognize that this offender’s case has had a devastating impact on communities in British Columbia and across the country, including Indigenous people, victims and their families. Our thoughts are with them,” the statement said.
Pickton’s confirmed victims numbered six: Sereena Abotsway, Mona Wilson, Andrea Joesbury, Brenda Ann Wolfe, Papin and Marnie Frey.
At Pickton’s sentencing, British Columbia Supreme Court Justice James Williams said this was a “rare case that properly justifies the maximum period of ineligibility for conditional release available to the court.
News Source : www.theguardian.com
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