By Taylor MacPherson

Corrections official says deceased inmate was well-behaved

Jun 7, 2017 | 5:00 PM

A spokesperson for Correctional Service of Canada said Daniel James Tokarchuk was a well-behaved inmate who had achieved a minimum-security classification before his death in custody early this morning.

Tokarchuk, 44, died while serving an indeterminate prison sentence for the 2002 shooting of his Hells Angels associate Trevor Savoie, which he claimed was an act of self-defence. At his trial Tokarchuk claimed he shot Savoie three times with a revolver in a Winnipeg back alley to avoid a beating over a drug debt, but the jury disagreed. He was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Tokarchuk appealed the verdict and sentence in 2006, but the appeal was dismissed.

Darcy Begrand, spokesperson for Correctional Service Canada, said Tokarchek was a minimum-security inmate who shared a house with several other inmates and had a private bedroom where he was discovered early this morning.

“Mr. Tokarchuk was found in his room,” Begrand said. “He was found by two correctional officers doing their security patrols.”

The officers administered CPR and first aid, Begrand said, and Tokarchuk was taken by paramedics to Victoria Hospital where he was declared dead at 4:24 a.m.

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According to Begrand a minimum-security classification is only given to inmates who are respectful, well-behaved, and not involved in any violent incidents. He said Tokarchuk’s security classification indicates he was not a problem inmate at the facility, where he had been housed since 2006.

Although the police and coroner were both notified of the death, Begrand was not able to comment on the circumstances, or whether the death is being treated as suspicious or criminal.

“I’m sure much of that will come out as the coroner inquest occurs and the investigations are completed,” he said.

Taylor.macpherson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TMacPhersonNews