The 2024 Newfoundland Homicide Victim List is available here

RCMP responded to a report of a vehicle fire on Country Road in Bay Roberts, NL, on Monday, September 30th at approximately 7:30 a.m.

Human remains of a man were found inside the vehicle after the fire was extinguished. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified the human remains as a 42-year-old man from Spaniard’s Bay, and ruled the death was a homicide.

In the evening of Saturday, October 5, 2024, at approximately 9:00 p.m., three individuals were arrested by RCMP NL without further incident. Stephanie Noftall, who was reported as missing on September 30, 2024, was among the three arrested. Stephanie Noftall, Matthew Kavanagh and Terry Cole were charged with first degree murder and indignity to human remains.

Update February 9th 2026
Matthew Kavanagh has been arrested again after police say he violated his bail conditions.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says Kavanagh, who was released on bail in April under strict rules including a curfew, was found in Pouch Cove on Sunday morning in breach of those conditions. At the time, he was also still under a probation order related to a separate 2022 offence.

Kavanagh was taken into custody and now faces additional charges for failing to comply with both his release order and his probation order.