N.S. RCMP confirm rumours of grisly find more than three weeks after discovering dead body

More than three weeks after a man’s dead body was discovered in the Debert area of Nova Scotia, Mounties have gone public with his death, which they believe to be criminal in nature.

In an area still scarred by the April 2020 mass shootings that left 22 people including a pregnant woman and a female RCMP officer dead, police officers appear to have been going door-to-door for quite some time asking about the human remains discovered on July 22. But until they sent out a news release Thursday, the RCMP wouldn’t provide any detail on the matter, or even confirm that they had found a dead body.

“Since the man’s remains were discovered, extensive searches have been conducted in the area,” Cpl. Mandy Edwards said in the news release.

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“We understand there’s been rumour and speculation within the community, and that this may’ve caused distress. However, our primary responsibility is to protect our ability to investigate.”

“It would be really nice to know what the hell is going on in our backyards,” one resident said on Facebook days before the Mounties officially confirmed finding a dead body.

“They have learned nothing over the past six years,” said another commenter. “Secrecy continues to breed distrust. Shame on them.”

Mounties released few details about the body Thursday other than it was male and that “criminality is believed to be a factor in the death.”

Investigators are working with the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service to confirm the dead man’s identity and determine the circumstances surrounding his death, said the RCMP.

“The investigation is in the early stages. No more information can be released at this time.”