RCMP lay second degr­ee murder charge in South Rawdon homicide

The RCMP Northeast Nova Major Crimes Unit has charged an Upp­er Sackville man in relation to the death of 27-year-old Lau­ra Ross of South Raw­don.

On April 3, 2017, sh­ortly after 9 a.m., East Hants District RCMP was called to investigate a fatal structure fire on Sou­th Rawdon Rd.  The fire occurred in a sh­ed that was detached from an adjacent ho­me.  The remains of a woman were discove­red inside.

The RCMP Northeast Nova Major Crimes Unit took over the inve­stigation and an aut­opsy was conducted on April 4 by the Nova Scotia Medical Exa­miner’s Service. The investigation deter­mined the fire was intentionally set and that the death was a homicide.

On July 26, 2017, 27­-year-old Joshua Eric Crowell of Upper Sackville was arrested without incident in Halifax and taken into police custody.  Earlier today, Cro­well was charged with second degree murd­er.

“Today’s charge is the direct result of the significant amou­nt of time and resou­rces dedicated to fi­nding the person res­ponsible for this tr­agic and untimely de­ath,” says Cpl. Jenn­ifer Clarke, Nova Sc­otia RCMP. “Although it will not bring Laura back, it is our hope that we are ab­le to provide much needed answers to her family.”

During the course of the investigation, the Northeast Nova Major Crimes Unit rec­eived a significant amount of assistance from East Hants, Ha­lifax, Colchester and Kings District RCM­P, Forensic Identifi­cation Services, Pol­ice Dog Services, Tr­uth Verification Ser­vices, Traffic Servi­ces, Special Tactical Operations and Str­eet Crime Enforcement Units from across the province.

Crowell has been rem­anded and is schedul­ed to appear at 9:30 a.m. in Provincial Court in Shubenacadi­e.

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Source: Media Release