‘Worst nightmare’
Mother of slain Halifax man speaks
Catherine Johnson said she’s living every mother’s worst nightmare.
Her son, Tylor McInnis, 26, was found murdered on Aug. 23. His body was located inside a vehicle in a church cemetery in North Preston.
On Wednesday, five men were charged and made court appearances in connection with the homicide.
Johnson was accompanied by a large group of family and friends who filled the Dartmouth provincial court room on Wednesday morning. Many sported T-shirts featuring a photo of McInnis under the words ‘Rest in Paradise.’
“It’s a mother’s worst nightmare, having to bury your son before you,” Johnson said in an interview during a court recess.
“If it was a sickness or illness you’d have time (to try and cope), but to have a violent murder and those people living their lives just as if nothing happened? Where’s your conscience?”
Johnson smiled as she recalled her son’s personality. She described him as loving, kind, respectful and funny with a frequent mischievous “Cheshire cat grin” that meant he was up to something.
She said her son was an “old soul” who connected with people of all ages.
“I will be at every court appearance. Any time my son’s name is mentioned in court, I will be there,” she said.
“I brought him into this world and I never left the scene until his body was taken. I told him he’ll never be alone and I will be here. There will be days that are very hard, but I will still be here.”
Johnson said her son’s 27th birthday would have been Sept. 18. They held a family barbecue on Sept. 17 and then a large group gathered at McInnis’s favourite restaurant on Sept. 18 to celebrate his life.
“He was there with us. I have a picture to prove that he was with us at the dinner. I see him all the time in signs,” his mother said, smiling fondly.
“Even though he’s no longer with us, he’ll always be with us.”
Johnson said being present at Wednesday’s court appearance was bittersweet.
“It’s not going to bring my son back, but at least justice is going to be done and I hope they get what they deserve,” she said.
McInnis’s grandmother, Donna MacKay, said they would always be grateful for the time spent with the grandson known as “Slugger” for his love of baseball.
“We’re going through a lot. I watched him be born and I didn’t expect to watch him go away on me. I didn’t like that part,” MacKay said in an interview.
“We’ve been hanging in there. There are good nights. And there are bad nights.”