RCMP charge Eskasoni man with second-degree murder

Albert Michael Bernard to appear in Sydney provincial court today

A 36-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in connection to a death early Saturday morning.

Albert Michael Bernard remains in custody and will appear in Sydney provincial court today on charges related to the death of a 36-year-old man after RCMP say a serious assault took place at the top of Spencer’s Lane in the First Nation commu- nity after 1 a.m. on Saturday morning.

The victim, who has not yet been identified, was being transported by EHS when he died from his injuries on the way to hospital.

The suspect fled the scene on foot and was arrested in Eskasoni between 8-9 a.m. without incident.

RCMP say the two men were known to each other and that the incident was not a random act.

They did not indicate if a weapon was involved or not or if the victim and the accused had been together prior to the assault.

Eskasoni RCMP were assisted by the Northeast Nova Major Crimes unit in the ongoing investigation.

It’s the second murder investigation police agencies in Cape Breton have undertaken in less than two weeks.

On June 25, Brandon Kelly, 24, was the victim of a shooting in Reserve Mines. Brandon James Berthiaume, 24, has been charged with first-degree murder in Kelly’s death. Berthiaume’s mother, Jennifer Lynn Chisholm, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder. Berthiaume has also been charged with attempted murder of a second person, who was not hurt.

The community of Eskasoni is also still reeling from the accidental drowning on June 28 of Douglas Young.