A 12-person jury has found James Lee Busch guilty of first-degree murder in the brutal death of 60-year-old Martin Payne back in 2019.
Payne was found dead in a pool of his own blood on his bathroom floor, stabbed to death multiple times, with multiple weapons.
It was the crown’s theory that Busch and Zachary Armitage broke out of William Head Penitentiary and killed Payne to further their escape.
Zachary Armitage disappeared from the trial mid-way. Due to a publication ban, CHEK News and all other media were prevented from reporting that midway through the trial, Armitage changed his plea to guilty to the first-degree murder of Payne.
First-degree murder carries a sentence of life in prison with a minimum of 25 years in prison with no parole.
More information about the attack will be available from Armitage’s statement of facts which will be given at his sentencing, which is scheduled next week.
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#Breaking #NEW A 12-person jury has found James Lee Busch guilty of first degree murder in the brutal 2019 murder of 60-year-old Martin Payne. @CHEK_News pic.twitter.com/eTDlLQ6dSe
— Kori Sidaway (@korisidaway) December 15, 2022
Kori Sidaway
