The fatality inquiry into the deaths of Lionel Desmond and his family will be held later this year.
Guysborough District Municipal Building
An update from the inquiry indicates it expects to begin hearing evidence in September. It will be held in the Guysborough District Municipal office in Guysborough.
The inquiry is now inviting people interested in participating to apply to the presiding judge for standing. Those interested are encouraged to review the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry and consult a lawyer before applying. The Terms of Reference and the application form are available on the Inquiry web site at desmondinquiry.ca. Applications must be submitted by April 29th. Hearings for those interested in receiving standing at the inquiry will begin May 21st in Guysborough.
On January 3rd, 2017; the bodies of Desmond, an Afghanistan war veteran; his wife, their 10-year-old daughter and Desmond’s mother were found in a house in Upper Big Tracadie. It was later determined that Desmond took the lives of his family before he took his own.
The inquiry will examine whether Desmond had access to appropriate mental health services and if his family had access to appropriate domestic violence intervention services.