HALIFAX – The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Halifax Regional Police and Truro Police Service today announced charges in two homicides.
“As policing partners throughout Nova Scotia, today we announced the arrest and charges of two men in connection with the murder of 20-year-old Melissa Peacock of Dartmouth and 26-year-old Ben Hare of Truro,” said Chief Superintendent Brian Brennan, Criminal Operations Officer for the RCMP in Nova Scotia.
“We were relentless in our efforts to gather evidence and with the assistance from the Nova Scotia Department of Justice Rewards Program, we have ultimately been able to bring individuals to justice and have them answer to these senseless acts of violence"
On the afternoon of July 3, Nova Scotia RCMP Southwest /Northeast Nova Major Crimes Unit arrested two men, one in Halifax and one at a residence in Kennetcook.
The RCMP officers were assisted by investigators from Truro Police Service and Halifax Regional Police.
Dustan Joseph Preeper, 24, of Halifax, and Joshua Michael Preeper, 20, of Kennetcook, Hants County have been charged with first degree murder in connection with the murder of Peacock.
Dustan Preeper has also been charged with second degree murder in connection with the 2010 murder of Hare.
They are scheduled to appear in Truro Provincial Court today.
Peacock was reported missing to Halifax Regional Police on Nov. 9, 2011. She left her residence in Dartmouth at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 and her last known contact was on Nov. 8 at approximately 12:34 a.m.
The missing person investigation was added to the Nova Scotia Department of Justice Rewards Program on May 18, 2012. Information was received through the Rewards program that assisted in the success of the police investigation.
At approximately 2:00 a.m. on July 8 2010, Hare was found dead outside an apartment building on Lyman Street in Truro. Information and evidence were gathered during the initial homicide investigation and throughout the Peacock investigation, supported a common suspect. This led to the integrated investigation and subsequent second degree murder charge against Dustan Preeper in connection to the murder of Hare.
The investigation was led by the RCMP Southwest/Northeast Nova Major Crimes Unit that included investigators from Halifax Regional Police, Truro Police as well as assistance from various specialized RCMP units.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Halifax Regional Police, and Truro Police Service thank the public and the media for their assistance and support throughout the investigation.
