Burlington murderer escapes from Kingston prison. OPP warn of safety risk
A 42-year-old man serving a murder sentence for beating a man to death at a Burlington birthday party has escaped from a Kingston, Ont., prison, provincial police say.
Staff at Collins Bay Institution discovered Tuesday evening that Joshua Kenneth Kohl was unaccounted for, the OPP said in a news release.
Kohl is serving a life sentence for second-degree murder. Police say he could pose a safety risk and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
He is described as six-foot, 158 pounds with short brown hair, a receding hairline and blue eyes. He has a pockmarked face, wears glasses and has a tattoo on the right side of his neck, police said.
The Correctional Service of Canada is continuing to investigate the circumstances related to the escape and is working with police to locate and apprehend this offender as quickly as possible," the news release said.
Kohl, of Simcoe, was 23 was he was sentenced for his part in what a judge called the senseless beating death of a man at a party, Robert Zeszutek.
Zeszutek was beaten to death at his 40th birthday party on March 26, 2002.
Superior Court Justice Chris Speyer described Kohl in Milton court as a troubled man with a lengthy criminal record and alcohol problems.
By any measure, the death of Mr. Zeszutek was an act of senseless brutality," Justice Speyer said.
The Hamilton Spectator reported that the judge went on to say that anyone who listened to the victim impact statements read by the Crown can't help but feel a profound sense of loss."
Under the advice of their lawyers and the Crown attorney's office, Kohl pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, and the two others pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He had originally pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.
His victim, Zeszutek, 40, was a part-time Burlington Post carrier, who lived alone in a 14th-floor apartment in Burlington Square Residences on Ghent Avenue at Brant Street in Burlington.
According to an agreed statement of facts, the night before his death, he was beaten to death after a night of partying with Kohl and others.
It's at least the second escape from custody of a convicted killer in Canada in less than a year.
Two-time convicted murderer Rabih (Robby) Alkhalil remains on the loose after escaping custody in British Columbia last summer.
Alkhalil is a leader of the Wolfpack Alliance, a multi-ethnic association of organized criminals who was convicted of organizing gangland murders at cafes on College Street and in downtown Vancouver.
Alkhalil was convicted of arranging for hitman Dean Wiwchar of Stouffville to murder Johnny Raposo of Toronto at the Sicilian Sidewalk Cafe on College Street in 2012 in a dispute over cocaine importing.
Last August, Alkhalil was convicted in absentia of first-degree murder for planning and supervising the murder of United Nations gang leader Sandip Duhre on Jan. 17, 2012.
Wiwchar of Stouffville was also convicted in both murders. Wiwchar remains in custody.
Alkhalil was aided in his July escape from a B.C. detention centre by two men in a white van who posed as contractors, the RCMP said.
No arrests have been made in that escape.
Police say anyone who sees Kohl should not approach him, and should call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
Collins Bay Institution is just west of downtown Kingston. It has minimum, medium and maximum-security facilities with an overall capacity of about 760 inmates.
The Correctional Service of Canada said Kohl escaped from the minimum-security unit.
Peter Edwards is a Toronto-based reporter primarily covering crime for the Star. Reach him via email: pedwards@thestar.ca