3 charged with manslaughter in B.C. prison assault that led to inmate's death

Prison security fencing is seen in this undated photo. (Pexels.com)

Manslaughter charges have been laid against three people in connection to the death of a B.C. inmate after an assault at the province's only maximum security prison last year.

Online court records indicate that Skylar Cook, Rylie Homeniuk and Jordan Steinhauer have each been charged with manslaughter in the death of Dale Ahpay. The charges were laid last week.

Ahpay was airlifted to hospital from Kent Institution in Agassiz after an assault on Nov. 20, 2023. At the time, the Correctional Service of Canada said the assault had been committed by fellow inmates, and that the assailants had been identified and "appropriate actions" taken. Local Mounties were also notified and launched their own investigation, according to the CSC. 

Ahpay died on Nov. 25, and Agassiz RCMP confirmed to CTV News that the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team had taken over the case. 

IHIT has not responded to CTV News inquiries about the homicide.

Online court records show Steinhauer was born in 1990, Cook in 1994 and Homeniuk in 1997. No upcoming court dates are listed.

At the time of his death, Ahpay was five and a half years into a 12-year, nine-month sentence for attempted murder. 

The sentence stemmed from an incident in Saskatoon in June 2015, when Ahpay – who had gang connections – shot victim Devon Cyr in the face with a shotgun from point-blank range.

Ahpay, who was 30 years old at the time, believed he had killed Cyr. The trial judge found he likely would have if his shotgun had been loaded with something heavier than the duck shot it contained.

"Amazingly, Mr. Cyr lived," the sentencing decision reads.

Last year, Cyr was, himself, sentenced to 14 years in prison for manslaughter in the January 2020 death of Isaiah Allary.