WATCH: The search continues for a convicted murderer who escaped from Mission Institution. Asa Rehman reports.
A 43-year-old man serving an indeterminate sentence for second degree murder has escaped from his minimum security unit at Mission Institution.
Shawn William Merrick was discovered missing by staff members yesterday. The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) immediately informed the RCMP and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
“Every once in a while someone does walk out of there,” says Mission Mayor Randy Hawes.
“It is a minimum security, there are no big gates.”
The Mission Institution, which is a medium and minimum security facility, is about 80 kilometres east of Vancouver. In the minimum unit, inmates live in residential houses.
Merrick is described as 173 centimetres (5’8″) tall, 64 kilograms (141 lbs) with a fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair and has a burn scar covering his right forearm and a five centimetre scar on his neck. He also has a tattoo of skulls on his left upper arm, a heart with the name ‘Jade” on his right upper back, a dragon on his right upper arm and a skull on the left side of his chest.
Merrick was serving time for the second degree murder of Shelley Lynn DeVoe. Her body was found in Coquitlam in 2006.
It’s the second time in less than a year that someone has escaped the prison. Norman Riel escaped last August while serving an indeterminate sentence for second-degree murder and hasn’t been seen since.
“The fact that a dangerous murder can walk way, and this is the second time this has happened…and the last time it happened, the individual still not been caught, requires an investigation in terms of what’s happened, why it happened, and to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” says NDP justice critic Mike Farnworth.
The CSC said they will investigate the circumstances of the incident and is working with the RCMP on locating Merrick as soon as possible.
If anyone has information on the location of Merrick please contact police.
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