Escaped murderer arrested in Stratford, P.E.I.

Gary Gormley, a murderer who escaped custody in New Brunswick earlier this month, was recaptured in Stratford, P.E.I., on Monday afternoon.

RCMP said they are holding Gormley at their Queens County detachment where he will be questioned.

"They're going to be interviewing him extensively this evening to find out his activities and whereabouts during his absence," said Sgt. Derek Strong.

Gormley escaped from the minimum-security Westmorland Institution in Dorchester, N.B., onSept. 6. He was found missing during the regular noon roll call. As a minimum security institution, Westmorland does not have walls and prisoners are only locked up at night.

Gormley was serving a life sentence for second-degree murder, and would have been eligible for parole next year. In March 1995, he beat and strangled Clifford McIver to death in his Charlottetown apartment. He was sentenced in August 1996 to life in prison with no chance of parole for 12 years.

RCMP said last week that given the length of time Gormley had evaded police, they suspected someone was assisting him.