Police expect it will take a few more days before charges are laid in relation to an alleged murder at Bowden Institution on Sunday.
Sgt. Patrick Webb, a spokesman for the RCMP in Southern Alberta, confirmed that police have identified a suspect in the death of David Tung Louie, 38.
Louie was found suffering from stab wounds at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday. He was rushed to Innisfail hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Louie was serving a 15-year sentence handed down in 2003 for charges related to weapons, drugs and robbery, said assistant warden Rita Wehrle.
He was due for statutory release in 2013 and would have completed his sentence in 2015.
The 485 medium-security inmates incarcerated at Bowden remain in lockdown while police and prison officials continue their investigation, including a thorough search of the prison facilities, Wehrle said on Tuesday.
There is no way at this point to know how much longer it will take before prisoners can leave their cells and return to their normal routine, she said.
Webb said police are still interviewing inmates and prison staff and will interview some people for a second time for updates on information given previously.
At this time, police have only one suspect and do not believe there were any others involved.
The suspect is a serving inmate. His name is being withheld until charges have been laid, said Webb.
The RCMP’s major crime unit from Lethbridge is conducting the investigation.
Along with its medium security inmates, Bowden Institution houses 72 inmates in its low-security area, which is not affected by the lockdown.
Bowden Institution is a federal prison, located alongside Hwy 2, midway between Bowden and Innisfail.
bkossowan@www.reddeeradvocate.com