Windsor police have announced serious criminal charges following the drug overdose death of an inmate at the local South West Detention Centre. More than six months after the incident, a fellow inmate now faces allegations of manslaughter and drug trafficking for allegedly supplying the lethal substance.
Details of the Fatal Incident and Investigation
The investigation centres on the June 17, 2025, sudden death of a 33-year-old male inmate. According to authorities, the victim was discovered in medical distress on the evening of June 16 and was transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
A post-mortem examination conclusively determined fentanyl toxicity as the cause of death. Investigators from the Windsor Police Service's major crimes unit pursued the case, ultimately alleging that another inmate had provided the victim with a quantity of fentanyl.
Arrest and Charges Filed
On Monday, January 12, 2026, officers arrested a man in the 2400 block of Dougall Avenue in connection with the supply of the drugs. The accused has been identified as Damien Michael Ladouceur, 33.
Ladouceur, a former inmate of the facility, has been formally charged with manslaughter and trafficking in a controlled substance. The Windsor police and officials from Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General, which oversees provincial jails, collaborated on the death investigation.
A Pattern of Problems at the Detention Centre
This tragic event is not an isolated incident at the South West Detention Centre. The facility, which opened in 2014 as a modern replacement for the aging Windsor Jail, has been plagued by ongoing issues despite its original promise to alleviate overcrowding and poor conditions.
Inmate overcrowding and frequent cell lockdowns remain sources of regular complaints. The situation has been severe enough that local judges have occasionally granted additional credit for time served pre-sentence due to the challenging jail conditions.
This latest death follows a coroner's inquest held in June 2025 into the October 30, 2019, fentanyl overdose death of inmate Joseph Gratton. That inquest revealed Gratton had repeatedly asked for, but was denied, withdrawal treatment in the weeks before his death.
The jury from that inquest issued 22 recommendations aimed at the Ministry of the Solicitor General and the detention centre itself. Key recommendations included:
- Increasing staffing levels
- Enhancing medical screening for incoming inmates
- Expanding training programs for correctional officers
Coroner's inquests in Ontario are mandatory following a death in custody and serve to inform the public while providing non-binding recommendations to prevent future similar tragedies.
The laying of manslaughter charges in this latest case underscores the ongoing and severe challenges related to drug contraband and inmate safety within the provincial correctional system, particularly at the South West Detention Centre in Windsor.
