Inmate killed B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton with broken broom handle, investigation finds

The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jul 07, 2025 9:43 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

An probe study detailing the situation battle that led to the decease of B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton says helium was assaulted by different inmate who broke a broom grip and thrust it into his face. 

The committee of probe study released Friday says Pickton was assaulted arsenic medicine was being distributed successful the portion helium was housed successful astatine Quebec's Port-Cartier Institution connected May 19, 2024. 

The study says situation guards rapidly intervened and convinced the aggressor to halt the beating, but minutes aboriginal helium "grabbed a broomstick, broke the handle, and thrust it" into Pickton's face. 

The board's study says Pickton was taken to a infirmary successful an ambulance, past airlifted to different installation successful Quebec City the adjacent time and admitted to intensive attraction due to the fact that of his captious condition. 

WATCH | Pickton dies aft fatal situation assault: 

The study says Pickton died connected May 31, 2024, and investigators interviewed 35 unit members from the situation and different institution, uncovering that inmates had escaped entree to cleaning tools including mops and brooms that weren't kept successful locked cabinets. 

Pickton, 74 astatine the time, had been serving a beingness condemnation since 2007 for six counts of second-degree murder. Twenty further counts of first-degree execution led to a enactment of proceedings against him successful 2010. 

He was held astatine a maximum information instauration since his intake appraisal successful 2018, and had been incarcerated astatine Port-Cartier Institution since 2018.

The incorrect household subordinate was contacted astir Pickton's death, according to the report, and investigators were not capable to find if helium knew that his designated adjacent of kin had changed their interaction information. 

The committee made 3 recommendations, including for the situation to instrumentality enactment to trim accessibility to items that are utilized oregon transformed for purposes that jeopardize the information of the institution.

"A task is underway to unafraid the doors of the cleaners' storerooms successful portion communal rooms to amended power entree to cleaning supplies," the study says. 

The board's study says nary transgression charges had been laid and the Quebec Coroner's bureau had not submitted immoderate reports to the Correctional Service of Canada astatine the clip the study was written. 

Another study by an autarkic perceiver appointed to guarantee the investigation's integrity says Pickton was "violently assaulted" by an inmate named Martin Charest. 

The observer's study says the committee "conducted a meticulous, highly nonrecreational and impartial probe of a delicate nature," and praised the committee for completing the "challenging occupation connected time."