Investigation continues
P.E.I. man accused of killing former N.S. woman back in court next month
A P.E.I. man charged with the murder of a former Nova Scotia woman will return to court in August.
Joel Lawrence Clow of Pleasant Grove was not in provincial court as defence lawyer Thane MacEachern asked for an adjournment to review material related to the case.
“There is a lot of material to process,” said Crown prosecutor Valerie Moore.
Judge Nancy Orr set the next court date for Aug. 19.
Clow, a 46-year-old fisherman, was charged with murder after RCMP discovered a woman’s body in a wooded area on Friday.
Clow also faces a charge of indecently interfering with human remains. He remains in jail and is also facing other charges not related to the murder.
RCMP will not release the victim’s name, citing the federal policing agency’s new national policy. However, news outlets are reporting that family has confirmed the victim as 40year-old Traci Lynch, formerly of Pictou, who was living in Tracadie, P.E.I., not far from Pleasant Grove.
On Monday, police continued to work at the crime scene in Pleasant Grove. Police tape remained up preventing access to the property, a uniformed RCMP officer guarded the scene and other officers were on the property making notes.
Neighbours did not want their names published, but told the Guardian newspaper that the murder happened around midnight, either later Thursday or very early Friday.
That investigation left the road closed from Friday afternoon to late Saturday evening, while an autopsy was also completed in Halifax, Saturday afternoon.
“No other information is available about the deceased at this time,” said police in regards to the autopsy.
While RCMP Sgt. Leanne Butler confirmed the suspect and victim were known to each other, RCMP have not released details on ther relationship.
Clow is not a stranger to police after being sentenced in 2011 to 10 months in jail for violence toward his spouse. He was also placed on three years probation, ordered to provide a DNA sample and faced a 10year weapons prohibition.
His arrest in 2011 was covered by media when it culminated in a three-hour standoff with police in Covehead.
This investigation has included the RCMP mobile command post, forensic identification staff, a police dog unit and numerous officers.
“Fortunately, these type of tragic incidents don’t occur here very often and we are investigating to the best of our ability,” Butler said during an interview on Saturday.
“They’ll hold the scene until everything is completed. The investigation and forensic team is still there and working on it. Once they have it completed, they’ll release the scene.”