Robert Pickton: The Notorious Serial Killer's Life And Brutal Attack In Prison

A notorious serial killer clings to life after he was brutally attacked inside a Canadian federal prison by other inmates earlier this week. Robert Pickton, a pig farmer and multimillionaire, was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of the gruesome murders of six women in 2007 that involved dismemberment and disposing of their bodies on his family farm. The vicious attack on "The Pig Farm Killer" was described as a "major assault" and happened on Sunday at Port-Cartier Institution, a maximum-security federal institution, the Correctional Service Canada said in a press release.

The Correctional Service Canada confirmed to Newsweek that Pickton was the victim. No staff members were injured in the attack. "The safety and security of institutions is paramount and an investigation into what occurred is currently underway," the Correctional Service Canada told Newsweek. Officials said they have identified the attacker and taken "appropriate actions."

Quebec police told CBS News his injuries "were considered life-threatening." Pickton is still in the hospital and he was "not expected to recover," the Vancouver Sun reported. He was allegedly "speared in the head" by a 51-year-old fellow inmate with a broom handle made to act as a weapon.

Who is Robert Pickton?

Robert Pickton was convicted in 2007 for the murders of six women, although he confessed to killing 49. Operating from his family's pig farm in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Pickton preyed on vulnerable women from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. The gruesome details of his crimes, involving dismemberment and disposal of bodies on the farm, shocked the nation and highlighted significant flaws in the investigation by local authorities.

Initially, Pickton was charged with the murder of 21 people, but it was reduced to six. He once told an undercover officer in his jail cell that he killed 49 women and intended to make it "an even 50." The DNA of 33 different women was found by officials at Pickton's farm near the city of Port Coquitlam. The investigation leading up to Pickton's arrest in 2002 was one of the largest investigations in Canadian history at the time, according to City News Toronto.

During the investigation, some criticized Vancouver police for not taking the case seriously because many victims were sex workers addicted to drugs. In 2016, a book reportedly written by Pickton was briefly available on Amazon before it was removed from the website. Pickton apparently tried to argue he was innocent and framed in the 144-page memoir titled "Pickton: In His Own Words."

Robert Pickton's life story is intertwined with tragedy, crime, and controversy. His violent acts have left a lasting impact on the families of the victims and the community at large.