Accused in jailhouse killing of serial killer Robert Pickton to plead guilty: Crown

MONTREAL — The man accused of killing convicted serial killer Robert Pickton in a jailhouse attack intends to plead guilty, the Crown says.

Martin Charest is charged with first-degree murder in Pickton’s killing in May 2024 and the Port-Cartier federal penitentiary.

Charest allegedly broke a broom handle and shoved it into the face of Pickton, who died in hospital of his injuries days later at the age of 74.

A spokeswoman for the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions says during an appearance Wednesday, Charest signalled his intention to plead guilty through his lawyer, but was difficult to hear from behind Plexiglas at a maximum-security prison.

The case was postponed until Sept. 25 for Charest to register his guilty plea.

Pickton, one of Canada’s most notorious serial killers, was convicted in 2007 of six counts of second-degree murder, but he confessed to killing a total of 49 women whom he lured into his pig farm near Vancouver.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept, 4, 2025.

News from © The Canadian Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Canadian Press

The Canadian Press is Canada's trusted news source and leader in providing real-time, bilingual multimedia stories across print, broadcast and digital platforms.