Serial killer Robert Pickton has died at the age of 74 in Quebec.
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, many of them Indigenous.
Correctional Service Canada said Pickton’s family and the family of registered victims have been notified.Following the news that Pickton was on life support in hospital, an Indigenous leader in B.C. said little has changed since his crimes.
Chief Marilyn Slett of the Heiltsuk Tribal Council in Bella Bella, B.C., said discussion about Pickton after the assault at a Quebec prison has revived painful memories for the Indigenous community.
Slett, who is also secretary-treasurer of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, says Indigenous women still face a barrier of systemic racism when it comes to personal safety and access to the justice system when they are victims of crimes.
The remains or DNA of 33 women were found on Pickton’s farm in Port Coquitlam, B.C., and he once bragged to an undercover police officer that he killed a total of 49.
B.C. Premier David Eby said at a press conference on Friday that his first thoughts are with the victims and their families.
“I want to take a moment to reflect on the fact that Robert Pickton preyed on the most vulnerable people in our society,” Eby said.
“Our focus needs to continue to be to recognize the human dignity of every single person in this province, to make sure that everyone is valued and welcomed.