Convicted murderer Mason Jenkins escapes Kingston prison, manhunt underway

Mason Jenkins, 49, convicted of killing his sister in 1998, escaped from Collins Bay Penitentiary in Kingston on Thursday. A Canada-wide manhunt is ongoing.

Convicted killer escapes minimum-security wing at Collins Bay Penitentiary

Mason Jenkins, 49, a first-degree murderer serving a life sentence, escaped from Collins Bay Penitentiary in Kingston, Ontario, on Thursday morning, according to cbc.ca. He has not been seen since, and law enforcement agencies are actively searching for him.

Correctional Services Canada (CSC) describes Jenkins as a white male, 5-foot-9, approximately 255 pounds, with a fair complexion, brown eyes, and brown hair currently shaved bald. At the time of his escape, he was wearing a light green jacket, blue jeans, and rubber boots.

Minimum-security placement draws scrutiny

One of the central questions surrounding the escape is why Jenkins — a convicted first-degree murderer — was housed in a minimum-security unit within Collins Bay Penitentiary on Bath Road in Kingston. CSC spokesperson Mark Shrider confirmed the agency is investigating how Jenkins managed to evade officers and leave the institution.

"CSC takes all cases of escape very seriously, as the safety of our communities remains our top priority," Shrider said. "When an escape occurs, an arrest warrant is issued and shared with our law enforcement partners, who are responsible for executing it. We work closely with them to ensure the offender is apprehended as quickly as possible."

Shrider added that CSC is "conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident, including how the offender became unlawfully at large." He also noted that inmates who escape or are found unlawfully at large "may be subject to a security classification review and could face additional criminal charges."

On the question of Jenkins' minimum-security placement, Shrider said CSC "ensures that all inmates are placed in institutions that correspond to their security level," and that classification decisions incorporate "evidence-based assessment tools, the professional judgment of specialized staff, and psychological evaluations."

A violent 1998 killing and a complex trial

Jenkins was convicted in 1998 of the first-degree murder of his sister, Jennifer Jenkins, who was 18 years old at the time. She was shot five times — in the chest and head — inside the family home in Chatham on January 6, 1998. Jenkins was also convicted on drug trafficking charges.

The investigation and subsequent trial were marked by numerous complications, as reported by the Chatham Daily News and the Kingston Whig-Standard. Defence lawyers left the case mid-proceedings. Testimony included accounts of Jenkins attempting to flee Chatham on horseback, and police at the time alleged he threatened to detonate a bomb, which was later found to be a firecracker.

The defence argued that a home invasion involving four armed suspects had taken place, and that one of those individuals — not Jenkins — had fired the shots that killed Jennifer. The jury rejected that account. In 2001, Jenkins was sentenced to life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 25 years. He has consistently maintained his innocence, a position his parents have also publicly supported throughout his incarceration.

More than 25 years behind bars — and questions about his movements

Jenkins has now been incarcerated for more than 25 years. Reports indicate he had been permitted to leave the institution on previous occasions for family funerals, and that he had more freedom of movement than many inmates. Whether those allowances were appropriate given the nature of his conviction is now under scrutiny.

Having served 25 years, Jenkins would have become eligible for parole hearings. Requests have been made to determine whether any such hearings had taken place prior to his escape.

Public warning issued

Authorities have described Jenkins as a dangerous individual. Police are urging anyone who sees him not to approach him but to contact law enforcement immediately.

CSC has issued an arrest warrant, which has been shared with policing partners across the country. The agency says it is working with police to locate Jenkins "as quickly as possible."

Source: Google News JM — Kingston