Killing of Halifax father, daughter dubbed ‘intimate partner violence’

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The New Year’s Eve killing of a 73-year-old father and his daughter, 40, are a case of “intimate partner violence,” according to Halifax Regional Police.

They responded at 10:35 p.m. on Dec. 31 to a report of an injured person on Gottingen Street, in the city’s north end.

“At the scene, officers located a vehicle containing a deceased woman and an unresponsive man. Both had suffered gunshot wounds. The man was transported to hospital where he died as a result of his injuries,” Halifax Regional Police said in a news release.

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“The Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service conducted autopsies on both victims and confirmed their manner of death to be a homicide.”

Police identified the victims as Cora-Lee Smith and her father, Bradford Downey.

Hours later, police heard a man connected with the pair was in the vicinity of the Halifax Commons. Around 1:30 a.m., they found Matthew Costain dead by a gunshot wound on the popular recreational area in the centre of the city.

“A firearm was recovered at the scene,” said the police news release.

“His death is still under investigation by police in coordination with the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service.”

Costain was in a relationship with Smith, according to police.

“The homicides are believed to be incidents of intimate partner violence. At this time, police are not looking for any other suspects.”

Anyone with more information on the shootings is asked to call police at 902-490-5020. “Halifax Regional Police extends sincere condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of the deceased, as well as witnesses of these events.”

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