The second of two escaped inmates convicted of murdering Greater Victoria man Martin Payne was sentenced on Wednesday to life in prison with no parole for 25 years.

Zachary Armitage and James Lee Busch murdered the 60-year-old father in his rural home in July 2019 after the pair escaped Metchosinsa国际传媒檚 William Head prison.

Armitage appeared in a Vancouver courtroom for his sentencing on Wednesday morning. He was removed at the mid-point of last yearsa国际传媒檚 first-degree murder trial, which spanned five weeks in November and December, after changing his initial plea from not guilty to guilty.

First-degree murder comes with an automatic sentence of life with no eligibility for parole for 25 years, which Busch received in December.

Paynesa国际传媒檚 family on Wednesday repeated . Those addresses described the joyous and loving person Payne was, along with the mental anguish his loved ones have endured since the murder. The friends and family members who spoke on Wednesday reiterated how theysa国际传媒檙e constantly haunted by how the kind and gentle Paynesa国际传媒檚 last moments were filled with horror, trauma and pain.

sa国际传媒淎s if losing him werensa国际传媒檛 hard enough, we had to lose him in this terrifying way, it breaks my heart that this lovely, kind man had to suffer this cruel end,sa国际传媒� said Paynesa国际传媒檚 ex-wife Catherine. sa国际传媒淢y body cringes at the thought of the nightmare he had to endure. I donsa国际传媒檛 understand how anyone can treat another human being in this inhumane, evil way.sa国际传媒�

Paynesa国际传媒檚 sister Colleen said the senseless actions of the inmates will weigh heavy on the familysa国际传媒檚 shoulders for the rest of their lives. His daughter Calla said she and her future children have been condemned to their own life sentences from the trauma that will persist through future generations of their family.

Colleen addressed Armitage directly, saying she couldnsa国际传媒檛 help but think he had a lifetime of trauma, pain and loss that led to where he is today. She then called on the man to seek help available in the prison system to sa国际传媒渓ook inside your heart and soul and try to heal your own inner pain.sa国际传媒�

Judge David Crossin, who presided over the trial, said he regrets he cannot mend loved onessa国际传媒� broken souls and deep sadness, or the trauma inflicted on the family. He called the murder of the unarmed man brutal, senseless, shocking and grotesque.

sa国际传媒淚t was, I must say, absolutely cowardly without qualification,sa国际传媒� Crossin said.

Unlike Busch, Armitage addressed the family during the hearing, saying that he was disgusted with himself.

During the trial, the court heard Armitagesa国际传媒檚 fingerprints were found on various items inside Paynesa国际传媒檚 home and his stolen truck. The inmatesa国际传媒檚 DNA was on shoes and clothing that were recovered from garbage bags in the victimsa国际传媒檚 home that were filled with bloody garments, linens and other items.

Someone also used Paynesa国际传媒檚 computer to search sa国际传媒淎rmitagesa国际传媒� while he wouldsa国际传媒檝e been at work and witness testimony showed Armitage used Paynesa国际传媒檚 landline to make calls inquiring about private water taxis to the mainland.

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