Man convicted in Lanark County murder case dies while serving life sentence at Millhaven Institution

An inmate in the care of the Correctional Services of Canada (CSC) has died while incarcerated at Millhaven Institution, west of Kingston.

According to the CSC, 52-year-old Michael Clairoux passed away on Friday, May 29, 2026, and no cause of death was provided in the media release, issued on Monday, Jun. 1, 2026.

“Further information about the cause of death is not available at this time; however, please note that the coroner’s office has jurisdiction over determining cause of death,” said Kerry Gatien, Acting Regional Communications Manager for the CSC, in an email to Kingstonist.

At the time of death, Clairoux had been serving a life sentence which began on January 9, 2025, according to the release.

Gatien confirmed that Clairoux was convicted of first-degree murder in a Perth, Ont., court in January 2025. Clairoux was one of two convicted in the murder of a man from Beckwith Township in Lanark County, according to media reports at the time, which note that the murder occurred in 2020 and Clairoux was a resident of Nepean.

The CSC noted that Clairoux’s next of kin has been notified of his death.

As in all cases involving the death of an inmate, the CSC will review the circumstances, the federal correctional agency detailed in the release.

“CSC policy requires that the police and the coroner be notified,” the organization said.