Body of Missing Vancouver Island Inmate Found Near Prison Shoreline

Sarah Desjardins

6/30/20262 min read

An inmate who was declared missing from a seaside minimum-security prison on Vancouver Island has been found dead.

Ernest Jensen, 69, was discovered Monday in the water near the shoreline of William Head Institution in Metchosin, B.C.

Correctional Service Canada said Jensen had been serving a life sentence for second-degree murder since March 1991. He was also serving sentences for trespassing and breaking and entering.

His family and any registered victims have been notified of his death.

Body Found on Prison Grounds

Metchosin Mayor Marie-Térèse Little said RCMP informed her at around 1 p.m. Monday that Jensen’s body had been found on prison grounds along a section of shoreline exposed during low tide.

“So he wasn't really at large, he was still along the premises of the William Head Institution, but certainly gave the community quite a fright,” Little said.

She had gone door to door in the village centre on Sunday to tell residents Jensen had disappeared.

“It’s been a harrowing 26 hours,” she said.

Prison staff first discovered Jensen was missing on Sunday when he was not accounted for during the midday count.

Search Included Dogs, Drones and Marine Units

West Shore RCMP Cpl. Nancy Saggar said police issued an arrest warrant for Jensen and sent officers to the scene after being notified he was missing.

She said police set up a containment area, brought in a police dog and used drones during the search.

Air and marine units also helped search the surrounding area.

Escape Raised Security Concerns

The incident prompted renewed concern among some residents about security at William Head Institution.

In 2019, inmates James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage escaped the facility by walking around a fence at low tide.

While at large, they killed Martin Payne, a 60-year-old man who lived nearby. Both men were later convicted of first-degree murder.

Some residents, including Sc’ianew First Nation Chief Coun. Russ Chipps, have called for the minimum-security prison to be shut down.

Chipps said he believes the land should be returned to his nation and could be used for housing and other community resources.

He also criticized the prison’s reputation for amenities such as housing-style units, gardens, a theatre program and workshops.

“It’s just not a safe place,” he said. “That’s something our people could use as a village.”

CSC Says Changes Were Made After 2019 Escape

Correctional Service Canada spokesperson Lucinda Fraser said the institution introduced several security measures after the 2019 escape.

Those changes included enhanced training for reviewing video footage, an additional head count, and a process to review possible transfers to higher-security facilities when staff raise concerns about inmates.

CSC also introduced a policy requiring the public to be notified within three hours of a confirmed escape.

Little said Metchosin’s emergency notification process helped inform the public, but communication and co-ordination could still be improved.

She said the community needs updates to its communication plan.

Little also offered condolences to Jensen’s family, prison staff and others affected by his death.

Correctional Service Canada said a review of Jensen’s death will be conducted. The B.C. Coroners Service will determine the cause.

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