Richmond RCMP parade in front of the newly unveiled $36 million Richmond Community Safety Building, which houses the headquarters of the Richmond RCMP.Brett Beadle For The Globe and Mail
Alberta RCMP say they had just started investigating the death of an inmate at Drumheller Institution when guards found another inmate unresponsive in his cell.
Both men were pronounced dead early Saturday.
Sergeant Patrick Webb said investigators are treating the deaths as suspicious until autopsies next week can determine why the men died.
Both men lived in separate, single cells in the federal prison, which houses nearly 600 medium and minimum-security inmates.
Prison spokeswoman Dawn Bancroft said routine checks are conducted on inmates when they go to their beds for the night.
A guard first found Nicholas Whynott unresponsive in his cell about 3 a.m. The 24-year-old was taken to hospital but pronounced dead.
Prison staff next found the body of Derek Upton in his cell. He was also pronounced dead at the Drumheller hospital.
The 35-year-old had been serving a life sentence for first-degree murder since 1994.
Mr. Whynott had been serving a sentence of six years and four months on various charges, including possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime and driving while disqualified.
Ms. Bancroft said Correctional Service of Canada officials will also be investigating the deaths.
"We take these things very, very seriously," she said.
Another inmate died at the prison two weeks ago.
Dang Akays Dang, 27, was found unresponsive in his cell on Dec. 12. He had been serving a two-year sentence for drug trafficking.