The 2024 Nova Scotia Homicide Victim List is available here
On December 19, around 9:15 p.m., the Truro Police Service (TPS) received reports that two men— a 27-year-old from Truro and a 25-year-old from Pictou Landing First Nation— had arrived at the hospital with serious injuries consistent with stab wounds.
Investigators believe the victims were attacked by one or more individuals in Colchester County, and they do not consider the incident to be random.
On December 21, at approximately 11:50 p.m., the Colchester County District RCMP and Emergency Health Services (EHS) responded to a call about a man in medical distress at a residence on Vincent Drive in Upper Onslow. The 25-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Then, on December 22, at around 10 a.m., TPS and EHS responded to another call, this time from a home on Lavinia Drive in Truro, where the 27-year-old man was also found in medical distress. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Both men were identified as the victims of the stabbing incident.
On December 23, the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service ruled the deaths as homicides.
Update: On January 8th 2025 police announced that a Canada-wide warrant has been issued for the arrest of Ronald Albert Canuel in relation to the homicides.
Canuel is described as 5’9″, 150 lbs with very short blonde hair and blue eyes, and has multiple facial and neck tattoos.
Update: On January 8, at approximately 3:30 p.m., 35-year-old Ronald Albert Canuel, who was wanted on an arrest warrant, was arrested after the vehicle he was driving was located by the New Brunswick RCMP’s Provincial Crime Reduction Unit (PCRU) outside an apartment building in Campbellton.
In consultation with NEN MCU, Campbellton RCMP, supported by the New Brunswick RCMP Police Dog Services team, PCRU, and a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, responded to the scene and safely arrested Canuel outside the building. He has been charged with two counts of second degree murder.
Anyone with information is asked to call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.