Saskatchewan Penitentiary inmate suffered over 60 injuries in 2017 killing: autopsy

WARNING: This article contains graphic content.

Beneath Chris Van Camp’s Saskatchewan Penitentiary blankets, there were more than 60 lacerations or wounds on the inmate’s upper body.

His cellmate, Tyler Vandewater, was standing against a wall, eating a sandwich on the morning of June 7, 2017, according to Dean Friedt, who was a correctional officer at the time.

Ordered through the cell door to wake Van Camp, Friedt said Vandewater held his sandwich in one hand and shook the body with the other.

“He got in last night. He’s tired,” Vandewater replied, according to the officer.

Van Camp, 37, was declared dead in his cell shortly after 8 a.m., according to an agreed statement of facts. Vandewater, 31, is charged with second-degree murder in the death.

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Friedt said officers found a six to seven-inch metal prison shank laying between Van Camp’s body and the wall. The homemade weapon appeared to be made out of a sharpened piece of fencing, he said.

After tearing the blankets away, Friedt said he found blood-soaked garbage bags on Van Camp’s bottom-bunk in the cell.

As his trial continued Tuesday, Vandewater sat in a red and blue tracksuit with blue jeans. His hands and feet were shackled in the prisoner’s box.

The accused stared straight ahead as correctional officers described finding Van Camp’s body. As officers lifted the orange linens, they found extensive injuries.

There were 26 lacerations, stab wounds or incised wounds on Van Camp’s head, according to an autopsy report. His neck had six stab wounds, along with four stab wounds to the chest and 25 to the back. He died of blood loss.

Blood from the injuries on Van Camp’s body appeared to be cleaned up, Friedt told court.

Correctional officer Vince Gawryliuk called for additional officers. When correctional officer Rod Frank arrived, he said Vandewater was being cuffed.

In a statement to police, Frank told officers the accused spoke as he was cuffed: “Relax guys. What’s your f—–g problem? Take it easy.”

Frank recalled looking through a window in the cell’s door during his morning count before the discovery. He remembered spending an “inordinate amount of time” at the door before seeing the slight movement of Van Camp’s blanket.

“I was convinced I had two living, breathing bodies in that cell,” Frank said during cross-examination. “I’ve gone through this a thousand times in my mind. I saw that blanket move.”

He later stated he “screwed up” and he believes Van Camp was dead at the time of the 7 a.m. count.

Crown prosecutor Linh Lê entered the metal prison shank as an exhibit Tuesday, along with a metal wire, makeshift handle and blue pen.

As the trial began Monday, defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle told court he intends to call Vandewater to testify.

A self-defence argument will be at the forefront, according to the defence.