Jake Romphf

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Two inmates who escaped William Head prison in Metchosin were caught after commenting on the size of Lewis the Great Dane. He was being walked by John Ferguson, who was an off-duty officer at the time. (Black Press Media file photo)

Court hears of off-duty officer’s encounter with Metchosin inmates, and their arrest

James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage charged with killing 60-year-old Metchosin man

Two inmates who escaped William Head prison in Metchosin were caught after commenting on the size of Lewis the Great Dane. He was being walked by John Ferguson, who was an off-duty officer at the time. (Black Press Media file photo)
Zachary Armitage, charged along with James Lee Busch in killing Metchosin’s Martin Payne, is no longer a part of a trial associated with the case. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)

Metchosin murder trial continues without one of the escaped inmates

Jury hears Zachary Armitage no longer part of these court proceedings

Zachary Armitage, charged along with James Lee Busch in killing Metchosin’s Martin Payne, is no longer a part of a trial associated with the case. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)
James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of Martin Payne after their escape from William Head Institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)

Blood spatter analyst explains where Metchosin man was struck in his home

James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of Martin Payne

James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of Martin Payne after their escape from William Head Institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)
James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are back in police custody after their escape from William Head institution on July 7. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)

Jury sees items from scene of Metchosin homicide, others found with escaped inmates

James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage charged with the first-degree murder of Martin Payne

James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are back in police custody after their escape from William Head institution on July 7. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)
James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with killing Martin Payne after the inmates escaped William Head institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)

Defence lawyers critical of items examined at Metchosin homicide scene

James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of Martin Payne

James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with killing Martin Payne after the inmates escaped William Head institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)
Martin Payne’s red Ford F150 pickup truck was found in Oak Bay in 2019. A lawyer defending one of the men accused of killing Payne asked about how the truck and the slain Metchosin man’s home were examined. (West Shore RCMP photo)

Defence lawyer questions evidence examination during trial for escaped Metchosin inmates

Zachary Armitage’s lawyer cross-examined RCMP forensics investigator on Tuesday

Martin Payne’s red Ford F150 pickup truck was found in Oak Bay in 2019. A lawyer defending one of the men accused of killing Payne asked about how the truck and the slain Metchosin man’s home were examined. (West Shore RCMP photo)
James Lee Busch (left) and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of 60-year-old Martin Payne after they escaped William Head institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)

Bloody shoes found in bags linked to prints at Metchosin crime scene

Escaped inmates Zachary Armitage and James Lee Busch are charged with killing Martin Payne

James Lee Busch (left) and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of 60-year-old Martin Payne after they escaped William Head institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)
James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of 60-year-old Martin Payne after they escaped William Head institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)

Forensics expert testifies inmates’ fingerprints found in home, truck of slain Metchosin man

Escaped inmates Zachary Armitage and James Lee Busch are charged with killing Martin Payne

James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of 60-year-old Martin Payne after they escaped William Head institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)
James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of a Metchosin man after their escape from William Head Institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)

Murder trial hears of prison escapees’ attempts to get off Vancouver Island

Zachary Armitage and James Lee Busch are charged with killing 60-year-old Martin Payne of Metchosin

James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of a Metchosin man after their escape from William Head Institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)
James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of a Metchosin man after their escape from William Head Institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)

Couple recalls doorstep encounter with inmates accused of murdering Metchosin man

Zachary Armitage and James Lee Busch are charged with killing 60-year-old Martin Payne

James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of a Metchosin man after their escape from William Head Institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)
Victoria woman Kaela Mehl is expected to plead guilty to second-degree murder in a retrial for the murder of her 18-month-old daughter Charlotte Cunningham, who died in September 2015. (Black Press Media file photo)

Guilty plea expected in retrial for Victoria mom accused in toddler’s death

Kaela Mehl successfully appealed her first-degree murder charge last year

Victoria woman Kaela Mehl is expected to plead guilty to second-degree murder in a retrial for the murder of her 18-month-old daughter Charlotte Cunningham, who died in September 2015. (Black Press Media file photo)
The Victoria Vital Signs report breaks down how different demographics view their city. (Black Press Media file photo)

Men happier with the state of Greater Victoria: annual survey

Vital Signs looks at perception of region among different demographics

The Victoria Vital Signs report breaks down how different demographics view their city. (Black Press Media file photo)
Nearby residents of the Capital Regional District’s wastewater treatment facility at McLoughlin Point say they’ve been hit with a new foul odour since the plant started operating. (Courtesy of the CRD)

For its neighbours, Greater Victoria’s wastewater plant woes flow through the nose

Those living nearby say CRD hasn’t kept its promise of an odour-free McLoughlin treatment facility

Nearby residents of the Capital Regional District’s wastewater treatment facility at McLoughlin Point say they’ve been hit with a new foul odour since the plant started operating. (Courtesy of the CRD)
Sandra Richardson, CEO of Victoria Foundation, speaks at a Nov. 8 launch event for the Victoria Vital Signs report’s release. (Jake Romphf/ News Staff)

Greater Victoria receives a failing grade in annual Vital Signs report

Housing, cost-of-living top issues in report that looks at 12 indicators

Sandra Richardson, CEO of Victoria Foundation, speaks at a Nov. 8 launch event for the Victoria Vital Signs report’s release. (Jake Romphf/ News Staff)
Icy roads remain Nov. 8 after an overnight snowfall across Greater Victoria. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Snowy night ends in crashes and closures but Greater Victoria schools are open

Pat Bay Highway closed temporarily, buses got stuck in Esquimalt on Monday

Icy roads remain Nov. 8 after an overnight snowfall across Greater Victoria. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
A snow warning has been issued for the Malahat. Pictured is snow falling near the Malahat on Nov. 18, 2021. (Emcon Services Inc./Twitter)

Drivers warned as snow warning issued for the Malahat

Some areas along the roadway expecting 10 cm of snow overnight

A snow warning has been issued for the Malahat. Pictured is snow falling near the Malahat on Nov. 18, 2021. (Emcon Services Inc./Twitter)
Greater Victoria can expect high winds and rain on Friday. In this file photo, a pedestrian watches waves crashing over the railing along Dallas Road next to the Ogden Point breakwater in January 2021. (Black Press Media file photo)

Wind warning issued for Greater Victoria as atmospheric river sprays south coast

Strong winds on both sides of the Island forecasted for Friday

Greater Victoria can expect high winds and rain on Friday. In this file photo, a pedestrian watches waves crashing over the railing along Dallas Road next to the Ogden Point breakwater in January 2021. (Black Press Media file photo)
Rainbow Kitchen executive director Patrick Johnstone stands by bare shelves at the meal providing kitchen in Esquimalt on Nov. 3. (Jake Romphf/ News Staff)

$25K donation helps stock the shelves at Esquimalt’s Rainbow Kitchen

Soaring food prices take a bite out of charity’s efforts to provide 180,000 meals a year

Rainbow Kitchen executive director Patrick Johnstone stands by bare shelves at the meal providing kitchen in Esquimalt on Nov. 3. (Jake Romphf/ News Staff)
Peggy Flett, 67, stands outside her cottage at the Dawson Heights Housing Society in Saanich. She and other residents will have to move out by mid-winter as a new affordable housing project is set to replace the senior cottages. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Low-income Saanich seniors struggle in the local housing crisis’ grip

Cottages for low-income seniors becoming 85-unit affordable housing building

Peggy Flett, 67, stands outside her cottage at the Dawson Heights Housing Society in Saanich. She and other residents will have to move out by mid-winter as a new affordable housing project is set to replace the senior cottages. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Camille Zimmer, a PhD student at the University of Victoria, is telling her story of ulcerative colitis to raise awareness of inflammatory bowel diseases. (Courtesy of Camille Zimmer)

UVic student using her diagnosis to have gutsy talks on inflammatory bowel diseases

Access to family doctors key as number of Canadians with gastrointestinal illnesses grow

Camille Zimmer, a PhD student at the University of Victoria, is telling her story of ulcerative colitis to raise awareness of inflammatory bowel diseases. (Courtesy of Camille Zimmer)