A former William Head inmate charged with killing a Metchosin man last year made a brief court appearance on Thursday.
James Lee Busch appeared by video in Western Communities provincial court from a prison on the Lower Mainland. Busch and co-accused Zachary Armitage are charged with one count of first-degree murder in the death of Martin Payne.
The two men escaped from William Head Institute on July 7, 2019. They were recaptured on the evening of July 9 in Esquimalt after being recognized by an off-duty RCMP officer out walking his dog.
Prosecutor Chandra Fisher told the court the Crown is still providing disclosure to Busch’s lawyer. She asked for the case to be adjourned until Sept. 10 to fix a date for a preliminary hearing. Armitage has also had his next court appearance adjourned to that date.
West Shore RCMP found Payne’s body on July 12 in his Brookview Drive home when he didn’t show up for work.
— Times Colonist
