Man who killed 3 women in the Ottawa Valley in 2015 dies in prison

Basil Borutski, who was sentenced to life in prison for killing three women in the Ottawa Valley in 2015, has died in custody.

Correctional Services Canada says Borutski died while in custody at Millhaven Institution, near Kingston, Ont., on March 28 of apparent natural causes.

"At the time of death, the inmate had been serving an indeterminate sentence, which commenced on December 6, 2017, for First and Second Degree Murders," CSC said in a statement.

Borutski was convicted in 2017 of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam, and one count of second-degree murder in the killing of Carol Culleton. The three women were killed on Sept. 22, 2015.

Borutski had previous relationships with the three women.  He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 70 years.

Residents of the Ottawa Valley shared their emotions surrounding the death on Tuesday.

"I just don't want the focus to be on him," said Erika Mullins, the coordinator of End Violence Against Women in Renfrew County.

"While it is a significant event that has occurred, I don’t want the focus to be on him. We want focus to be on the families. And the women's lives were taken."

Erin Lee, the executive director or the Lanark County Interval House says his death may now bring healing.

"I hope that this creates an opportunity for peace for many families, for families who have endured, for families who are still healing," she said.

A coroner's inquest into the deaths of the three women released a list of 86 recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies in the future. The recommendations included Ontario formally declaring intimate partner violence an epidemic and establishing an independent commission dedicated to eradicating it.

Lee says the recommendations have shown the public is taking the issue of intimate partner violence seriously.

Several cities have declared intimate partner violence an epidemic, including Ottawa and Lanark County.

“It means that people are listening. It means that people are reacting and are responding and the community is saying no more, no more of this level of violence in our communities," Lee said.

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Dylan Dyson

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