A missing inmate from a minimum-security prison on Vancouver Island has been found dead after an extensive search, bringing an end to a 26-hour operation that had raised safety concerns among nearby residents.
Correctional Service Canada (CSC) confirmed that Ernest Jensen, 69, was discovered in the waters near the shoreline of William Head Institution in Metchosin, British Columbia, on Monday. Authorities said his family and registered victims have been informed of his death.
Jensen had been serving a life sentence for second-degree murder since 1991, along with additional convictions for trespassing and breaking and entering. Prison officials reported him missing on Sunday after he failed to appear during a routine midday inmate count.
According to Metchosin Mayor Marie-Térèse Little, police informed local officials that Jensen’s body was located on prison property along a section of shoreline exposed during low tide. She noted that while the inmate never left the institution’s grounds, the incident caused significant anxiety throughout the community.
Following Jensen’s disappearance, the West Shore RCMP launched a large-scale search involving officers, police dogs, drones, air support, and marine units. An arrest warrant had been issued while the search was underway.
The incident has renewed public debate over security at William Head Institution, which came under scrutiny after two inmates escaped in 2019 and later committed a fatal murder while on the run. Since that incident, Correctional Service Canada says it has strengthened security procedures, including enhanced surveillance reviews, additional inmate counts, improved risk assessments, and faster public notification protocols following confirmed escapes.
Some local residents and Indigenous leaders have again questioned whether the facility should remain in operation, arguing that the site could be better used for community development and housing.
Correctional Service Canada said a formal review of Jensen’s death will be conducted, while the B.C. Coroners Service is responsible for determining the official cause of death.
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