Melvin Earl Miller, an inmate from Dorchester Penitentiary, died while in custody, on March 16, 2023.
At the time of his death, he had been serving an indeterminate sentence, which began on June 12, 1972, for first-degree murder, the attempted murdered of Michael Roach, armed robbery of a CIBC bank and the assault of a peace officer.
While serving time for armed robbery and attempted murder, Melvin Earl Miller was convicted of first degree murder, for the stabbing death of Robert Garth Ashick.
Ashick was stabbed about 30 times. Hedge clippers found at the scene, were said to be the murder weapon.
He would be granted a new trial for the first-degree murder conviction by the Saskatchewan court of appeal in 1980, on the grounds of new evidence.
A jury deliberated for four hours before convicting Miller of first-degree murder, on Jan. 19, 1982.
As in all cases involving the death of an inmate, the Correctional Service of Canada will review the circumstances. CSC policy requires that the police and the coroner be notified.