Accused N.B. hostage-taker faces murder charge
A Moncton man accused in an August hostage-taking now faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of a prisoner in a New Brunswick penitentiary.
Joshua Robert Terry, 24, was charged with first-degree murder in provincial court in Moncton on Thursday morning.
The charge stems from an incident at the Shepody Healing Centre at the penitentiary in Dorchester.
Daniel Pepin, a 44-year-old inmate who was originally from Quebec, was killed on Sept. 10.
District 4 RCMP Sgt. Paul Ouellette said Pepin died after an altercation.
"As a result of the altercation that took place, Mr. Pepin died of his wounds at the scene," Ouellette said Thursday.
"The RCMP Major Crime Unit conducted an investigation assisted by District 4. So a proper investigation was done to make sure we interviewed all of the witnesses that were involved and all the guards that were involved that day on the range."
The RCMP indicated in September that an autopsy confirmed a weapon was used in Pepin's death.
The Shepody Healing Centre is a psychiatric treatment facility that serves the Atlantic region. It is capable of housing up to 50 offenders.
Terry also faces 6 hostage-taking charges
Terry was already facing six charges in connection with a three-hour standoff at the Lakeside Convenience Store just outside Moncton in mid-August.
He is accused of taking a female clerk hostage at knife-point.
The RCMP blocked surrounding streets and called in the emergency response team, a negotiator, a police dog and several other police officers.
After roughly three hours, the hostage-taker walked out of the store's front door holding the distraught woman around the neck and brandishing a weapon. He tried to escape but was caught by police.
Terry has been charged with unlawful confinement, assault with a weapon, theft using a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon, mischief and uttering threats to police officers.
His lawyer had waived a preliminary hearing on those charges.
Terry is scheduled to be back in court on Dec. 23.