Dean Wiwchar, a convicted hitman with ties to the Wolfpack gang, now faces new charges for allegedly attempting to escape from a Surrey pretrial jail. This latest incident occurred just weeks after he publicly vowed to turn his life around in court, a promise that now rings hollow.
Surrey Police Service officers responded to the jail on December 7th, observing an escape attempt unfolding in an exercise yard. Wiwchar, 40, and Harry Christensen, 34, have both been charged with attempting to break out of prison and attempting to escape lawful custody.
This isn’t Wiwchar’s first attempt. He previously tried to flee the same Surrey pretrial facility in July 2022, shortly after his associate, Rabih Alkhalil, successfully escaped from another jail during his murder trial. Wiwchar received a two-year sentence for that earlier attempt.
Alkhalil’s escape was audacious – he walked out disguised as a construction worker. Three individuals are now facing charges for allegedly assisting him, with one recently extradited from Spain to face the music. The investigation into that escape continues to unfold.
Wiwchar’s criminal history is deeply entrenched in gang violence. He pleaded guilty in August 2024 to conspiracy to murder rival gangster Sandip Duhre, a crime committed at the Sheraton Wall Centre in Vancouver in 2012. He confessed to shooting Duhre ten times, though a first-degree murder charge was ultimately dropped.
Despite his violent past, Wiwchar recently expressed remorse in court, claiming a desire for rehabilitation. The judge acknowledged his apparent sincerity, challenging him to prove his commitment to change. This latest escape attempt casts serious doubt on the authenticity of that remorse.
Christensen, Wiwchar’s alleged accomplice, is also a convicted murderer. The Alberta man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the 2018 death of Kyle Cromarty in Chilliwack, receiving a life sentence with no parole for over thirteen years.
Adding another layer of complexity, Wiwchar still has an outstanding appeal related to a murder conviction in Ontario, even after admitting his role in the B.C. conspiracies. His legal battles, and apparent disregard for the justice system, continue.
Both men remain in custody, awaiting further court appearances, their previous sentences unaffected by these new charges. The incident raises questions about security protocols within the jail system and the challenges of containing dangerous criminals.
