'It just doesn't make sense': Questions raised after inmate walks away from federal prison

He wasn't gone for very long, but a convicted murderer walked away from the minimum security unit at the Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick on Saturday afternoon.

He wasn't gone for very long, but a convicted murderer walked away from the minimum security unit at the Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick on Saturday afternoon.

Robert Hilroy Legge is currently serving a life sentence for second-degree murder of his former partner, Ann Maria Lucas, after he bludgeoned her to death with a metal pipe at her apartment in Stephenville, N.L. in 2003.

Correctional Service of Canada says Legge, now in his 80s, was apprehended immediately by prison staff around 3 p.m.

Bill Steele, co-owner of the former Dorchester Jail - now a bed and breakfast - said Legge made it close to the community square of Dorchester, where dozens of people were attending the annual Sandpiper Festival.

That's nearly a kilometre away.

"Holy smokes. When I found out he was a convicted murderer still serving his sentence I had a huge problem with it, yeah," said Steele.

His wife and business partner Natasha Marsh saw Legge walking up the street from the tourist attraction's parking lot.