The Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre

(GLYNN BROTHEN / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS — A prison guard supervisor who was the first person to come across a young inmate’s lifeless body inside a Kamloops prison cell more than four years ago took the witness stand today.

Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre corrections officer Devin Pageau was an acting supervisor at the time 20-year-old Dylan Levi Judd was found with a red sweatshirt tied around his neck in November 2014.

He testified yesterday and today, May 29, describing the events that led to the discovery of Judd’s dead body during the Supreme Court trial of Nathaniel David Jessup who is charged with second degree murder in connection to Judd’s death.

On Nov. 10, 2014, Pageau had just started work in the early morning when he noticed Jessup come out of his cell and he appeared to be in distress. Pageau described Jessup's demeanour as “wide-eyed and like something wasn't right."

“I spoke to him, said what’s going?” Pageau said.

He said Jessup told him to go to his cell because he believed his roommate was dead.

Pageau went over to the cell where Jessup and Judd lived together. He says he noticed a man lying in the bottom bunk bed with a blanket covering his entire body except for his foot.

Pageau gave the man verbal commands to get out of bed and then grabbed the individual’s foot before giving it a shake.

“The whole body was stiff,” Pageau said. “I said, ‘Hey man, hey’ and lifted the blanket and could see he was deceased.”

When he pulled the blanket down from the man’s face, Pageau noticed the individual was very purple and blue, and had a red sweatshirt tied in a tight knot around his neck.

At that point, Pageau issued a lock down command for all prisoners to get back in their cells. He called for medical assistance and a nurse along with an articling student attended to perform CPR.

Pageau said both he and the nurse had difficulty untying the knot from the man’s neck. He also noticed the man’s hands were positioned above his chest with his thumbs facing inwards.

The nurse performed CPR until emergency medical personnel arrived. Crown prosecutor Neil Wiberg asked if there was any suicide note inside the cell where Judd's body was found, Pageau said he didn't find one.

Video surveillance clips shown by defence lawyers show a prisoner identified Jessup walking out of a cell and approaching the staff desk where Pageau was working.

Pageau says he called out to Jessup when he saw him exit his cell and asked him what was wrong.

However, defence lawyer Jeremy Jensen says in the surveillance video, it shows Pageau facing a different direction.

“You are looking down and writing in a log book,” Jensen says.

Pageau disagreed saying he was watching Jessup despite the fact that he was writing. He explained the job as a correctional officer trains people to use their peripheral vision.

Jessup's trial will continue until the end of next week. Crown prosecutors are expecting to call nine witnesses to testify.

For past stories on this case go here.

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