A man who was recaptured after a daring escape in Saskatchewan has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Braidy Chase Vermette pleaded guilty on Tuesday in the death of Troy Napope.
Napope was last seen in May 2015 in Prince Albert, Sask., where police believed he had attended a house party. His burned-out car was discovered soon afterward.
Eleven months passed before police found Napope’s remains in a slough west of the Saskatchewan Penitentiary.
Vermette was sentenced at Court of Queen’s Bench in Prince Albert, Sask., to life in prison with no chance of parole for 20 years.
He was also sentenced to seven years, to be served concurrently, for use of a firearm during an escape from custody.
Vermette escaped custody on March 30, 2016, while he was being taken to hospital for a self-inflicted wound. He was being held at the Prince Albert Provincial Correctional Centre for a pending court appearance.
He and two correctional officers were approached by two masked individuals – one armed with a gun and the other with bear mace.
The correctional officers were sprayed and Vermette went willingly with the two individuals in a dark-coloured SUV.
A Canada-wide warrant was issued for Vermette following the escape.
Police received a tip on April 6, 2016, as to the location of Vermette and RCMP deployed its emergency response team to a home north of Prince Albert on Red Wing Road, west of Highway 2.
Just after 1 a.m. CT on April 7, 2016, Vermette was arrested while leaving the house after it caught on fire. The house was expected to be a total loss.
Vermette is the second man to plead guilty in connection to Napope’s death.
-With files from Global’s David Giles
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