Suspicious death
Police investigate after woman’s body found in Gardiner Mines home
Cape Breton Regional Police have a man in custody after a woman’s body was found inside a Gardiner Mines home.
The man was arrested at the scene of what’s being called a suspicious death when officers responded to a 911 call at 87 O’Brien St. at noon Tuesday. No charges had been laid as of Tuesday evening and police weren’t releasing the victim’s name pending identification and notification of her family. Police did say the victim and suspect were known to each other.
However, the Cape Breton Post spoke to a man at the scene who identified himself as the father of the man taken into custody,
Ricky McNeil said his son Richie shared the white oneand-a-half-storey house with his longtime partner and their young son.
“My son is not a monster,” said McNeil, who is from Glace Bay.
“He is a good boy. There’s a lot that will come out.”
News of the suspicious death shocked neighbour Anne Stubbert, who moved to the sleepy country road off Seaside Drive in 2015. She said although she didn’t know the couple, she often saw a little boy out walking with a “gigantic dog.”
“That’s pretty sad to hear. A little boy has lost his mom, which is a very sad thing,” said Stubbert.
“He’d come over here selling tickets sometimes and at Halloween. We never saw him this year but we had put some candy aside for him.”
The scene was cordoned off by police tape and officers were parked in marked cruisers at the end of the driveway of the home, which is set about 100 feet from the road.
The regional police major crime and forensic identification units are leading the investigation.