5th woman killed by intimate partner violence in N.S. in 3 months

An RCMP patch is seen on the shoulder of an assistant commissioner, in Surrey, B.C., on Friday, April 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The RCMP in Nova Scotia says two suspicious deaths in Mahone Bay, N.S., over the weekend were the result of intimate partner violence.

Lunenburg District RCMP responded to a home on Long Hill Road for a wellbeing check of two people just after 1 p.m. Sunday.

Police say officers found the remains of a 60-year-old woman and a 75-year-old man inside the home. The deaths were deemed suspicious.

An update from police Thursday says the investigation revealed the woman’s death was a result of homicide. The man, who died from self-inflicted wounds, was responsible for her death, according to an RCMP news release.

Police say the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone experiencing, or at risk of, intimate partner violence is asked to contact their local police department.

Support can also be accessed anonymously by calling 211, calling the provincial toll-free line at 1-855-225-0220, or visiting Nova Scotia 211 online.

Fifth woman killed by intimate partner violence in N.S. in recent months

This is the fifth fatal incident of intimate partner violence in Nova Scotia in just three months.

Three women were killed by their current or former partners in Enfield, Yarmouth and Cole Harbour in the fall.

In each case, the man killed the woman and then killed himself, according to police.

There was another homicide in Halifax on New Year’s Eve, when police say a man killed his partner and her father in a vehicle on Gottingen Street, before killing himself.

New Brunswick also saw a case of intimate partner violence over the holidays. Police in Saint John, N.B., allege a man killed his wife on Christmas Eve. He is facing a charge of second-degree murder in her death.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.