An autopsy has confirmed murder as the cause of death after an inmate was found critically injured at Bowden Institution Sunday morning.
RCMP said Tuesday that the Medical Examiner confirmed stabbing as the cause of death for Tung David Louie, 38.
RCMP say a suspect has been identified but has not been named because no charges have been laid.
Inmates remain locked in their cells indefinitely while police and prison officials investigate the death.
Louie was found in medical distress at 10:45 a.m. Sunday. He was transported to Innisfail hospital but died of his injuries.
The status of the lockdown will depend on the progress of the investigation, said assistant warden Rita Wehrle.
“We are doing a complete, thorough search of our entire institution. The priority in consideration of reopening will be: is it safe to do so? We want to be certain that it is and that we instill that kind of confidence both in our staff and in the inmates that, when we do open, it’s absolutely safe to do so.”
Food is being delivered to the inmates in their cells, said Wehrle. So far, they’re coping quite well with the lockdown.
“The institution is in a very stable situation. There is no ongoing incidences whatsoever,” she said.
The lockdown affects the medium-security area only and does not affect the 72 inmates in the low-security area, said Wehrle.
There are 485 inmates in the medium-security area.
Louie was serving a 12-year sentence for weapons, drug and robbery-related offences.
Sentenced in 2003, he was transferred into Bowden Institution in 2010, said Wehrle.
He was due for statutory release in 2013 and his sentence was to expire in 2015.
Bowden Institution is a medium security federal corretional facility with more than 500 inmats. It is located 5 km south of Innisfail.
bkossowan@www.reddeeradvocate.com