Man charged with second-degree murder after fire

The Northeast Nova Major Crimes Unit of the RCMP has charged an Upper Sackville man in the death of 27-year-old Laura Ross of South Rawdon earlier this year.

Joshua Eric Crowell, also 27, was arrested without incident in Halifax and taken into police custody on July 26. Early July 27, Crowell was charged with second-degree murder.

On April 3, 2017, shortly after 9 a.m., East Hants District RCMP was called to investigate a fatal structure fire on South Rawdon Road. The fire occurred in a shed that was detached from an adjacent home. The remains of a woman were discovered inside.

Two young children were rescued from the home. The RCMP Northeast Nova Major Crimes Unit took over the investigation and an autopsy was conducted on April 4 by the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner’s Service. The investigation determined the fire was intentionally set and that the death was a homicide.

The crime scene remained blocked off for extended periods of time, as investigators could be seen in paper suits behind lines of police tape. “Today’s charge is the direct result of the significant amount of time and resources dedicated to finding the person responsible for this tragic and untimely death,” Cpl. Jennifer Clarke, a media representative with the RCMP, said.

“Although it will not bring Laura back, it is our hope that we are able to provide much needed answers to her family.”

She also asked that anyone with any information in the murder come forward.

“If there are details out there that people may feel are important, we always encourage people to give us a call,” she said. During the course of the investigation, the Northeast Nova Major Crimes Unit received a significant amount of assistance from East Hants, Halifax, Colchester and Kings District RCMP, Forensic Identification Services, Police Dog Services, Truth Verification Services, Traffic Services, Special Tactical Operations and Street Crime Enforcement Units from across the province.