Abbotsford Killer dies in B.C. prison of 'apparent natural causes,' officials say

The Mountain Institution in Agassiz, B.C., is seen in March 2008. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)

Vancouver — The man dubbed the Abbotsford Killer after murdering a teenage girl with a baseball bat decades ago in B.C.'s Fraser Valley has died in prison.

The Correctional Service of Canada confirmed Monday that Terry Driver died of "apparent natural causes" while in custody at Mountain Institution, a medium-security prison outside Agassiz.

"At the time of his death, Mr. Driver had been serving an indeterminate sentence for first-degree murder and attempted murder," the CSC said in a news release. "The inmate's next of kin have been notified of his death."

Officials said the police and coroner will be alerted as well, as required by Correctional Service of Canada policy.

Driver's crimes stunned British Columbians back in 1995, when he viciously attacked two 16-year-old girls, Tanya Smith and Misty Cockerill. Smith did not survive.

Before being captured by police, Driver also took part in a bizarre game of cat-and-mouse with law enforcement that included taunting phone calls and messages in which he threatened to kill again.

He was finally caught in 1996 and brought to justice.