A 37-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Christina Kathleen Cline, whose body was found in Dartmouth's Shubie Park a year ago.

Dustin Brian Hales, of Dartmouth, and Victoria Ann Weir-Hales, of Sydney Mines, were arrested on Saturday, said Halifax Regional Police. Hales was arrested in Truro while Weir-Hales was picked up in Cape Breton.

The two accused appeared in Dartmouth provincial court on Monday and were charged with first-degree murder.

Hales was Cline's former common-law husband. Friends said he was the father of Cline's children.

Cline, 27, was found dead in Shubie Park on Nov. 19, 2011. A man out for a walk discovered her body in an area known as Vivian's Way.

Christina Kathleen Cline was a mother of three children. (Submitted)

She was a single mother of three children and was originally from Ontario. Cline lived in a duplex on Roleika Drive in Dartmouth.

Her children are now reported to be in foster care.

Halifax Regional Police have not said how she was killed, but have said they did not believe her killing was a random act.

Both cases were put over until Dec. 19. Hales and Weir-Hales remain in custody at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth and are not to have contact with each other.

Divers search lake

Police divers spent Monday searching Lake Banook for evidence in the case. One of the items they retrieved was a purse.

Jana Peterson, Cline's friend, said it was Cline's purse.

Peterson said she will be at the trial of the two accused. She is worried about the children, who range in age from seven to 10.

"I hope to God they have a good home with their grandmother when they get there," she said.

The military said Hales is a navy corporal at Canadian Forces Base Halifax.