A man serving time for manslaughter in British Columbia has died in prison at the age of 40. John Wendell Keyler was incarcerated at Kent Institution when he passed away on Thursday, according to the Correctional Service of Canada.

Keyler was sentenced to nearly five years after being convicted in connection with the death of Sarah Foord. Foord's remains were discovered in a remote area outside Fort St. John during a missing-persons investigation in July 2020. She had been reported missing by her family two weeks prior to the discovery, prompting police to suspect foul play.

A B.C. Supreme Court ruling in January 2023 revealed that Keyler and Foord were in a relationship at the time of her death. Keyler fatally stabbed Foord in the bathroom of their shared mobile home. An autopsy indicated that she had been stabbed approximately 50 times, with two critical wounds leading to her death. At the time of the incident, Keyler was 35 years old, and Foord was 38.

Following the stabbing, Keyler disposed of Foord's body in a garbage can and buried it in a shallow grave at a gas well site located 75 kilometers from Fort St. John. He also discarded a multitool used in the attack in a nearby body of water. Keyler confessed to the crime both before and after his arrest and guided authorities to Foord's remains.

During the trial, evidence suggested that the couple had a history of heavy drinking and drug use throughout their 16-month relationship. Keyler claimed that extreme intoxication and drug-induced psychosis played a role in the killing. He was ultimately convicted of manslaughter and indignity to human remains.

Corrections officials have notified Keyler's next of kin, and the B.C. Coroners Service will conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.