Darcy Sidoruk, a former Fort Nelson resident who was handed an indeterminate sentence for two second-degree murders in the 1980s, has died in a British Columbia prison at age 77. Sidoruk was serving his sentence at Matsqui Institution, a medium-security federal men's prison in Abbotsford, B.C., when he died.
Details of the crimes
Sidoruk was convicted in 1986 for the murders of his wife and an acquaintance in Yukon. The killings occurred in the small community of Fort Nelson, where Sidoruk had been living. According to court records, the two murders were separate incidents, though they were tried together. He received an indeterminate sentence, meaning he had no fixed release date and was subject to periodic parole reviews.
Length of incarceration
Sidoruk spent 40 years in prison after his sentencing. The Correctional Service of Canada confirmed his death but did not provide a cause, citing privacy regulations. The Matsqui Institution, where he was housed, is part of the Pacific Institution complex and has been the site of several notable inmate deaths over the years.
Impact and legacy
The case has drawn attention to the handling of indeterminate sentences in Canada. According to legal experts, such sentences are reserved for the most serious offenders and require regular parole board assessments. Sidoruk's death closes a chapter on a crime that shook the Yukon community decades ago.
