Footprints in snow led to convicted murderer who escaped from Dorchester prison

RCMP say footprints in the snow led them to convicted murderer Steven Bugden, found Thursday shivering in a ravine near Sackville after his escape from Dorchester Penitentiary.

StevenBugden, 45,who walked away from the minimum security section of the prison onWednesday night, is back in custody, thanks in part to a tip from the public.

Police saidBugdenwas arrested at about 8:30 p.m. in woods near Highway 106 between Dorchesterand Sackville, which are about 15 kilometres apart.

"We found some tracks, followed them and found him in a ravine," said Sgt. PaulGagnof the RCMP'sSackvilleDetachment.

• RCMP arrest convicted murderer who escaped New Brunswick prison

"He appeared to be in some kind of distress so we brought him to hospital."

Gagn said RCMP received a tip several hours earlier from someone who had seen a "suspicious person that was out of place walking between Dorchester and Sackville."

He said the person who called police had no idea anescaped prisoner was on the loose.

According to the Correctional Service of Canada, staff discoveredBugdenwas not present for an inmate head count at about 10 p.m. on Wednesday. He'dlast been accounted for at 4 p.m., when recreation started at theminimum-security sector of the prison.

A snowstorm hit New Brunswick late Wednesday afternoon and night,and Gagnsaid Bugden was outdoors for hours.

"I think he was just cold and wet," he said.

Bugdenpleaded guilty to second-degree murder after stabbing auniversity student in Ottawa in 1997.Parole Board of Canada records say the woman was a friend he had become infatuated with.

In April 1999,Bugden startedserving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 15 years.

On Thursday night, he was returned tothe custody of the prison, which has multiple security levels, Gagn said.

Gagn said RCMP still don't know why Bugdendecided to escapebut said police are doing a criminal investigation and looking at a criminal charges of escaping lawful custody.

"Part of that investigation is finding out why this happened," he said.

"Now that our concentration is off the search, we can do a proper investigation and ask more questions."

Undergoing risk assessment

mile Belliveau, an assistant warden at the prison,said Bugden will undergo a risk assessment to make sure he's in the appropriate security level.

"Usually it's heightened when an inmate escaped from a security level," Belliveau said. "Usually it goes up one notch or two."

Belliveauwouldn't even confirm Bugden was at Dorchester, saying only that he is in federal custody.

"We're very happy that he was captured," he said.

Typically, when inmates caught after escaping a minimum security prison, Belliveausaid, are put into a medium or maximum security prison, while an evaluation is done.

The prison's minimum-security sector consists of housing units, which includea shared living area for fourto six inmates.Bugdenwas placed there because he was considered a low risk to the public.

"The minimum-security sector is the last sector that an inmate would be released from to the community," said Belliveau.

"There's a trust in them the level is low for them to be violent toward the public."

No parole

Bugdenwas denied both day parole andunescorted temporary absences in 2009,according to the Parole Board of Canada.

The board's decision said police didn't support the request and parole officers believed Bugden "should cascade to a minimum-security institution" as a more gradual release plan while getting psychotherapy. The Correctional Service also opposed the request.

The decision notedBugdenexpressed a willingnessto receive therapy, but the risk to the community remained "unmanageable" at that time.