Eskasoni pair face murder charges in the death of Andrew Carter Morris

RCMP say two people are facing first-degree murder charges after they were arrested during a tense scene outside a home in Eskasoni, N.S., on Wednesday.

Heavily armed officers in tactical gear arrived at the building located on 74th Street in the Cape Breton community around 6 a.m. in the morning. Police officers carried rifles and brought with them a large armoured vehicle. 

By noon, two people had been arrested in relation to the death of 30-year-old Andrew Carter Morris of Eskasoni in 2021.

Kurt Daniel Gould, 33, and Scentina Marie Michael, 34, both of Eskasoni, have now been charged with first-degree murder and two counts of armed robbery. Both accused remain in police custody.

Cpl. Chris Marshall, a spokesperson for the Nova Scotia RCMP, said the response was necessary as the pair were facing significant charges.

"These are people who we were looking to arrest for murder, which obviously … it's one of the most significant —  if not the most significant — charge that exists pretty well anywhere in the world."

Michael was arrested early in the day without incident. Officers were also stationed off site and attempted to negotiate the peaceful surrender of Gould who remained in the home.

House fire investigated

Marshall said getting Gould to leave the home was difficult. 

"There was multiple different strategies that were utilized, including basically inserting like a type of chemical munition in the hopes that that would force him to come out of the home," Marshall said. 

Around the time of Gould's arrest, the home on 74th Street caught fire. 

Eskasoni RCMP are now investigating the blaze, while a separate investigation is being completed by the Nova Scotia Fire Marshal's Office.

Morris was found dead on Beach Road in Eskasoni in August 2021. His murder was added to the province's unsolved crime rewards program last year.

MORE TOP STORIES