John Bjornstrom, who gained infamy across B.C. under the nickname Bushman of the Shuswap, has died according to an obituary in the Williams Lake Tribune.

The death notice reads Bjornstrom, 58, died suddenly on Jan. 13.

He was born in Toronto, adopted by Norweigian immigrants, and moved with his family to B.C. at the age of five.

His obituary says he grew up in the Williams Lake area before leaving at the age of 15.

'The Bushman'

Bjornstrom was jailed in 1999 for break and enter, but escaped from a Kamloops correctional camp two months into an eight month sentence.

Bjornstrom was re-captured by police in November of 2001 after escaping custody in 1999. (CBC)

He​ fled to the woods, becoming one of B.C.'s most wanted fugitives while surviving on food and items he stole from cabins in the Shuswap Lake area.

He became known as 'the Bushman of the Shuswap' while evading police for two years.

Considered a frontier legend by some, Bjornstrom was also seen as a nuisance by cabin owners, who said he left threatening notes demanding groceries, supplies, and gasoline.

While living as a fugitive, Bjornstrom courted fame by using the media to communicate to police.

He was armed with a shotgun and other weapons when Mounties, posing as journalists, arrested him in November 2001.

In 2004, he was sentenced to 23 months of house arrest after pleading guilty to 10 charges including break and enter.

At his sentencing hearing, he claimed to have hid in the woods to monitor possible child pornography activity in the area. He also claimed to have created a network of underground hideouts as part of his investigation.

Bjornstrom also said he was hiding out from people who attacked him over inside information about the Bre-X gold scandal of 1997.

Run for mayor

By 2014, he had started working as a logging truck driver after a battle with cancer.

He ran for election as the mayor of Williams Lake that same year but mustered only 91 votes and finished last among four candidates.

Bjornstrom, seen here outside of court in 2005, made international headlines by hiding from police for two years in the B.C. wilderness. (CBC)

He was known as a mainstay of the local community and was a frequent volunteer at the local Salvation Army.

A celebration of life is scheduled for Feb. 18 in Williams Lake.