Three People Accused in Murder of Spaniard’s Bay Man Committed to Stand Trial
Three people accused of planning and carrying out the murder of a Spaniard’s Bay man have been committed to stand trial.
Thirty-four-year-old Terry Cole, 41-year-old Matthew Kavanagh and 28-year-old Stephanie Noftall are charged with first-degree murder in the killing of 42-year-old Michael Fillier in Bay Roberts last fall.
The remains of the Spaniard’s Bay man were found in a pickup that had been set on fire and left to burn on Country Road.
(Harbour Grace Provincial Court)
Noftall and Cole remain in custody and were brought into Harbour Grace Provincial Court this afternoon for Judge Pam Goulding’s decision, while Kavanagh, who is free on conditions, appeared by video.
The ruling was made following the preliminary inquiry during which all of the evidence, which is banned from publication, was vetted by the judge to determine if a trial was warranted.
The next step is arraignment in Supreme Court to set dates for that trial.
Cole and Noftall face a dozen additional, unrelated charges of possessing property obtained by crime with trial set for December 15th.
Noftall is also charged separately with theft, impaired driving and breaching release orders, which were also set over to that date.
Company Surprises CBN Family Who Managed to Save Pricey Pot from Fire
A family who performed hours of volunteer work during the fire on the Conception Bay North Shore despite losing their own home, is seeing some of that kindness reciprocated, albeit in a highly unusual way.
Robyn Dwyer and her husband Scott moved back to Blackhead after losing their home in a wildfire in High Level, Alberta, back in 2019.
Their second home was one of more than 100 destroyed when fire roared through nine communities on the Conception Bay North Shore in August.
Burnt woods near sports field in Broad Cove (VOCM News)
Dwyer says among the few items that were salvaged from the remains of their property was a blue Le Creuset pot, purchased years ago. The high-end cookware is pricey, and Dwyer had collected a few pieces over the years when she found them on sale.
She says the blue pot was instantly recognizable in the charred remains of what was once their home.
“We pulled into the driveway and my husband said ‘what’s that blue thing?’ in the pile of rubble, and this turned out to be one of those pieces. Over time, as we went through it, and as Team Rubicon went through it, more of these pieces started to come out of the rubble. So we got the majority of the pieces that we had, now keeping in mind, I’m leery on using it, because there’s still some residue that won’t come off.”
As the family got settled into a rental property in Carbonear, she decided to contact Le Creuset in France to see if there was a way to restore the pot. She was shocked by the response she received.
She says she wasn’t expecting much more than a cost on fixing the pot, but “I got this e-mail basically saying ‘we’re going to replace the pot free of charge,’ and then (from) what they could pick out of the pictures, they sent me a coupon for 50 per cent off the retail price.” She says “that was beyond amazing.”
Officers Investigating Moose Poaching Incident on Northern Peninsula
Wildlife officers are seeking information to help them determine whether a moose on the Northern Peninsula was poached.
Officers discovered a large blood stain on the road and fresh moose remains in the ditch in the Godfrey Pond area about 35 km east of the Plum Point Intersection.
Godfrey Pond
Officers believe the moose was taken during the morning hours of Thanksgiving Day, Monday, October 13, and they are interested in speaking with a man and woman seen in the area and who may have been traveling in a red car.
The department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture says it is an offence to discharge a firearm from a highway, including the shoulder of the road.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Resource Enforcement Division at 709-637-2971, or contact the province’s 24/7 Poaching Line at 1-877-820-0999.
You can also report poaching incidents online.
Woman Charged with Assault After Soccer Game Confrontation Becomes Violent
A 69-year-old woman will appear in court November 5th on a charge of assault after an argument escalated into a physical confrontation at a soccer game in Harbour Grace.
RCMP were called by a person who claimed they were physically assaulted.
Officers were told that the victim was in the parking lot when he was confronted by a woman who attacked him, causing injuries.
The investigation continues.
‘Good Time to be Working in Trades’ Mark Carney Outlines Upcoming Building Projects
Prime Minister Mark Carney says it’s a good time to be working in the trades.
His first budget is only a couple of weeks away but in a speech to students last night, he gave a hint of what to expect.
The pace of housing construction will double over the next ten years according to the PM, and he will introduce a “buy Canada” program where we will be our best customer in construction projects.
“New orders for homes, infrastructure and defense equipment will become orders for Canadian suppliers,” he said, “so that the welder in St. John’s can get a full-time job.”
He will announce the next five “nation-building” projects by Grey Cup Sunday. Three mega deals in this province the potential to be embraced in that category: Strange Lake, Gull Island and Bay du Nord.
27-year-old Facing Weapons Charges
A 27-year-old man is facing firearms charges after police responded to a report of a firearm left in a vehicle in the Rabbittown area of St. John’s.
Police took the call around 5:00 p.m. Tuesday.
Officer found the vehicle a short while later and tried to pull it over, but it sped away.
It was found again around 5:30 Tuesday afternoon abandoned in a parking lot in the city’s west end.
RNC say Tyler Newman was arrested around 1:00 yesterday afternoon.
He’s scheduled to appear in court on charges of damage to property, careless use, storage, handling and transport of a firearm, possession of stolen property and a range of other weapons-related offences.
The full list of charges are as follows:
- Mischief
- Careless use, storage, handling, and transport of a firearm
- Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm
- Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized
- Unauthorized possession in a motor-vehicle
- Contravention of use, storage, handling, and transport regulations
- Possession of property obtained by crime
- Multiple breaches of court orders
Receding Waters at Beothuk Lake Reveal Long-Lost Surprises
Low water levels on Beothuk Lake are revealing long-lost artifacts from the region’s past.
Among them is the wreck of a vessel used by the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company – also known as the A.N.D. Company) – which was involved in the region’s pulp and paper industry in the first half of the last century.
Lew Osmond of Come By Chance was visiting the Mary March Wilderness Park on the shores of Beothuk Lake when he decided to send his drone up to have a look at the lakebed exposed by the receding water.
The wreck of the Fleetway at Beothuk Lake (photo by Lew Osmond)
That’s how he captured images of a wreck that he’s since learned was the Fleetway, part of the inland flotilla owned by the A.N.D. Company.
He’s learned that the Fleetway, which was a tug used to move logs around on the lake, sank in 1928. “She was at her moorings in the wintertime,” says Osmond of what he’s since learned “and I guess when she settled, it settled on a rock or a stump, and at any rate, it punctured the hull and she sank in place but they didn’t take her up.”
Osmond says he’s been overwhelmed by the responses he’s received from people with stories of the Fleetway since posting his pictures to a number of Facebook pages.
He says one woman told him that her father was the captain of the Fleetway, and he had made a swing for her sister who was born in 1930 from the door of the vessel. “I didn’t expect this kind of feedback,” says Osmond, but he thinks it’s cool to be learning so many interesting tidbits about the boat.
Man Charged in East End Shooting Death Waives Preliminary Inquiry Sending Case Straight to Trial
A first-degree murder case is going straight to trial after the accused waived his right to have the evidence tested at a preliminary inquiry.
Twenty-year-old Ibrahim Hussein was arrested and charged several days after 33-year-old Gerald Kyle Hynes was shot to death on Watson Street back in April.
Police arrest the Hussein brothers at the ferry terminal in Port aux Basques. (Submitted/file photo)
He also faces related gun charges and breaches of release orders, plus previous charges of assault and making death threats.
Hussein Hussein is shown during his bail hearing in Supreme Court in St. John’s on May 14th. (VOCM News/file)
His older brother, 23-year-old Hussein Hussein, is charged with accessory after the fact to murder; in other words helping the accused escape.
They were on the run for a couple of days before being captured at the ferry terminal in Port aux Basques.
Earlier this week three more people — one man and two women aged 18 to 25 — were arrested and also charged with helping the accused after the shooting.
They were released on conditions with future court dates while the Hussein brothers remain in custody.
Ibrahim Hussein has chosen to be tried by Supreme Court judge and jury, with formal arraignment and trial dates to be set in December.
The elder brother still has his preliminary inquiry set for mid-November.
Wanted Man Arrested by Bay Roberts RCMP
RCMP in Bay Roberts have arrested a man wanted on a number of charges.
An arrest warrant was issued earlier this week for 22-year-old Brady Stuckless, wanted on charges of possession of stolen property, resisting or obstructing a police officer and three counts of failing to comply with a release order.
False Alarms from Automatic Crash Detection Features Tying Up Emergency Responders
Automatic crash detection features on Apple iPhones and Apple watches have resulted in 18 false alarms to the St. John’s Regional Fire Department in the last five months.
The manager of technology and communications with the St. John’s Regional Fire Department, Jason Mercer, says the phone feature detects a quick stop or quick movement, prompting an emergency call to 911. The feature also allows the owner to cancel the call within 30 to 60 seconds, but even that fail-safe doesn’t account for human error.
Mercer says the feature is very helpful for someone who is involved in a crash and is unable to call 911 themselves, but the St. John’s Regional Fire Department is seeing a rising number of false calls from the Apple alerts.
It comes down to a common practice, which is to lay the phone on the roof of your vehicle while climbing aboard. As a result, firefighters are getting an increased number of calls from phones that have fallen off moving vehicles.
“We surmise that people may be accidently leaving their phones on the roof of their cars, and when they drive off, the phone hits the ground, and we get that call.” He says the fire department has to respond regardless, because they have no way of knowing which calls are actual emergencies and which are false alarms. “Since May, we’ve had 18 of theses calls that have been false. We have found phones sitting in the middle of the road, or on the side of the road, and later the owners have been able to pick them up.”
Commercial Flights Resume at Wabush Airport
Commercial flights have resumed in Labrador West after several were canceled because of a situation regarding the lack of firefighting and crash rescue services for larger aircraft.
The former MHA for the region, Jordan Brown, dealt with that issue many times during his two terms in office. Now the mayor of Labrador City, Brown told the Tim Powers Show on VOCM yesterday that one thing led to another at the federal level with the classification of the airport.
Liberal MP Phil Earle first raised the issue in a post to social media earlier in the week, but said in the same breath that he expected to see a resolution in a relatively short period of time.
Brown says his is a region which cannot survive without air services.
He says the changes implemented will be “slow-rolled” allowing the local firefighting team more time to get up to “what they need to be so the certification can properly change, and we’ll actually have air fast rescue again.”
Derek Bennett Still Considering Whether to Request Judicial Recount
The Liberal candidate in Lewisporte-Twillingate confirms he’s considering whether or not to request a judicial recount in the district.
Incumbent Derek Bennett lost the district to PC candidate Mark Butt by a margin of just 18 votes.
The former Speaker of the House says he is considering his options and will make his final decision public in the coming days.
Bennett has until Monday of next week to make up his mind. An automatic recount is triggered with a margin of ten votes or less, otherwise a candidate has to request a judicial recount.
Urgent Care Clinic Inside New Health Hub Expected to Open Before End of Year
The new health hub in the old Costco building in the east end opened to the public this week with one of the main components, the urgent care clinic, still to come.
That facility, expected to be open in a couple of months, will be one step below a full-fledged emergency room, designed to make it easier for people to access health care in time of immediate need.
NL Health Services spokesman Dr. Greg Browne, a vascular surgeon by profession, says not every situation will be black or white on whether a patient goes to the urgent care clinic or the emergency room.
He says they’ve already had a situation where someone who showed up to avail of services at the hub had to be transported to hospital. He says there are protocols in place for those situations.
Tickets for World Series Selling for Thousands of Dollars
Nobody knows just how the World Series is going to play out with the Jays having an edge in some aspects as the Dodgers in others.
Los Angeles is an early favourite to repeat but Toronto has a stellar defense and its offense is clicking on all cylinders.
Game one goes tomorrow night at about 9:30 Newfoundland time.
Tickets for the first two games at the Rogers Centre aren’t cheap, with tickets in the nosebleeds going for well over $1,000.
Ticket prices for game 7 of the World Series at Rogers Centre (SeatGeek)
Brad Janes of St. John’s has been to many games at the Rogers Centre, including the final series of the year when the Jays, as it turned out, had to sweep the Tampa Bay Rays to avoid the Wildcard Series. They did just that to hold off the New York Yankees and win the division.
Janes managed to snag a ticket to game 7, which would be in Toronto, for a decent price.
A ticket in the 500 level nosebleeds set Janes back less than $600 – which is a bargain considering some tickets in the same area are now listed for over $3,000.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has accused Ticketmaster of gouging people, however the company says it is not the one setting those prices, “nor is any one person or entity.”
In 2019, Ford’s government scrapped legislation that capped ticket resale prices at 50 per cent above the original face value.
Man Facing Several Charges After Crashing Car on Burin Peninsula Highway
A 65-year-old man is in trouble with the law after crashing his vehicle on the Burin Peninsula Highway, refusing a breath test, and resisting arrest.
The incident happened Tuesday night around 7:45.
A concerned citizen alerted the RCMP, who arrived to find the vehicle in the ditch – driver still behind the wheel.
Police say the man, who showed signs of impairment, was taken into custody after a short struggle. They say the suspect continued to be aggressive, causing damage overnight to the holding facility in Marystown.
The Marystown resident will appear on court later on a raft of charges.
NL MPs Lock Horns in House of Commons
Two Newfoundland MPs sparred on the floor of the House of Commons in Ottawa this week, arguing over the use of food banks.
Conservative MP Carol Anstey brought up the issue, claiming the Liberals are wasting money and “making life harder” in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Liberal MP Joanne Thompson responded, saying her government is providing more social supports for those who need it the most.
Anstey says their spending is “fueling inflation.”
“Runaway Liberal spending is fueling inflation and every dollar they waste makes life harder. When will the government stop the reckless spending and start making life affordable for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador?” stated Anstey.
“A single mom in her riding who earns $15,000 a year can now access up to $25,000 because she will automatically get the benefits for her and her children. This is good news, this is affordability, and this is not a slogan,” replied Thompson.
Christmas at the Glacier Underway in Mount Pearl
Christmas at the Glacier is underway and will continue through Sunday in Mount Pearl.
The event, which kicked off last night, turns the venue into a festive marketplace with over 100 local artisans, craft producers, and artists from across the country on deck.
Organizer Sandra Flynn says the event has become the “kickoff to the season.”
She says it has become a tradition for many families and friends. “So you’ve got to bring your list and check it twice, because there’s something for everyone.”
Case Stalled for Man Accused of Setting Brush Fires in St. John’s During Fire Ban
Arson charges laid during recent wildfires have stalled in the courts due to delays getting some evidence from the RNC.
And it does not appear to be an isolated incident.
Twenty-year-old Caleb Boland-Pelkey is accused of setting several brush fires in downtown St. John’s during the recent fire ban.
He faces three charges of arson with disregard for human life and a $150,000 fine.
Firefighters battled back-to-back-to-back fires from Lemarchant Road to New Gower Street within a two-hour span late on the night of August 12.
At the time they were also helping contain wildfires near Paddy’s Pond and C.B.S.
Defence lawyer Jeff Brace told the court he’s asked a number of times for alleged CCTV video the RNC has had since the fires, but remains empty-handed more than two months after the fact.
The Crown said it would look into the delay, with Judge Paul Noble opining that getting video evidence from police in a timely fashion has been issue of late.
“I suspect they are overwhelmed,” he said, assuring the accused, on video from HMP, that the court would “try to put a push on this for you.”
The results of that will be known when the case is called again on November 19th.
Man Charged After Centre City Vehicle Break-Ins
A man has been charged after several vehicles in the centre city area were broken into last night.
Police got a call about someone rifling through cars parked in the area around 11:30.
Officers found a man matching the description provided and he was arrested.
The 43-year-old has been charged with trespassing at night, mischief and two counts of breach of probation.
He was taken to the lockup.
No Injuries After Rear End Collision Involving School Bus Outside Metro School
There were no reported injuries after a school bus was rear-ended outside a St. John’s school yesterday.
The incident happened around 8 a.m.
According to the RNC, a vehicle rear-ended a school bus. There are no other details available at this time.
Prime Minister Lays Out Priorities in Pre-Budget Speech
Prime Minister Mark Carney gave a sneak preview of what to expect in the budget on November 4th in a speech to a group of university students last night.
Despite extra spending, he plans to balance the budget in three years. He noted that there are many areas where spending can be reduced. He mentioned Canada Post losing $10-million a day, and that action is being taken in that regard.
“The fact is that federal spending has been growing over the course of the last decade by more than seven per cent year-over-year. We’ve been spending faster than our economy was growing so we have to change that and our government is changing that,” said the PM.
Carney plans on reducing our trade reliance on the United States, something which he has been advocating for since the election.
He also mentioned the benefit of being able to provide clean electricity, but did not correlate that with the MOU.
Wakeham Announces Transition Team Ahead of Change in Government
Premier-designate Tony Wakeham has released a statement on the transition of power to the new provincial government.
Wakeham says he is working “diligently” to ensure a “smooth and effective transition to government.”
Wakeham confirms that Denise Tubrett will be serving as his Chief of Staff. Tubrett had served as his Chief of Staff while in opposition, and has experience in other senior government roles.
The leader says a transition team is now coordinating detailed briefings with the public service, aligning priorities, and planning their staffing so that they can “hit the ground running.”
Members of the team are former PC cabinet ministers Ross Wiseman and Darin King, former senior public service executive Colleen Janes, and Steve Outhouse – who has served as chief of staff for various federal ministers, and as the principal secretary to the Premier of New Brunswick.
Wakeham says “in the coming weeks” he will name a cabinet, begin assembling his senior team, and launch the work required to meet the challenges ahead.
TCH Closed Near Brigus Junction Due to Accident
There has been a traffic accident on the TCH in the area of Brigus Junction.
RCMP have closed the TCH westbound but traffic eastbound is getting through.
There is a detour through Avondale for westbound traffic which will re-establish the TCH via the Conception Bay Highway and Roaches Line.
Several police cars and ambulances are on the scene.
The full extent of the crash is not yet known, and callers to the VOCM Newsroom who are in the line say it appears that they won’t be going anywhere for a while.
Man Arrested After Allegedly Spray Painting Business in Natuashish
A man has been charged for allegedly making threats against a business in Natuashish, and spray painting their door.
The incident occurred around 3:00 p.m. Tuesday.
Police arrived to find fresh spray paint on the door. They located the suspect, 19-year-old Thomas Rich, nearby. The accused was already wanted on a charge of theft at the time.
Now, Rich is facing two new charges of uttering threats and two charges of resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
He appeared in court today.
70-Year-Old Dead After Being Struck by ATV
A 70-year-old woman has died after being struck by an ATV in Ship Cove Tuesday night.
Bay St. George RCMP say the collision happened just after 7 p.m. along the main road in the community.
The woman was taken to hospital but later died from her injuries.
The driver of the quad, a young person, remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has been contacted.
Anyone who witnessed the accident, or who has dashcam or CCTV footage, is asked to contact the RCMP.
Transocean Fined $65,000 for 2019 Near-Fatal Rig Incident
An offshore oil company has been fined more than $50,000 for a near-fatal incident aboard its rig more than six years ago.
And while they accept the sentence as “reasonable,” the conviction itself is another story.
Texas-based Transocean Drilling Services had faced two charges under offshore health and safety rules, but in the end was convicted of failing to ensure a crane was properly operated.
The incident occurred on Sept. 6th, 2019, aboard the Transocean Barents rig in the Terra Nova field.
Then-27-year-old Chris Ryan was working as a roustabout when the crane hooked into equipment, trapping him against a railing and nearly crushing him to death. He’s still recovering from injuries to his spine, ribs, collarbone, pancreas, liver and colon.
Transocean pleaded not guilty, and there was a trial in which Judge Lois Skanes found them guilty, saying while there was no “reckless disregard” for safety, the company followed policies that were not in line with established rules — namely the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Marine Installations and Structures Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Transitional Regulations.– resulting in the near-tragedy.
Skanes fined the company $50,000 and also ordered a $15,000 payment to the College of the North Atlantic for safety-related programs.
The victim and his father were in the courtroom this morning but declined to comment pending other potential legal action.
Transocean lawyer Alex Templeton hinted the company isn’t done yet either.
‘We’ve identified multiple appealable errors that were made by the judge in this case,” he told VOCM News outside the courtroom this morning.
The company now has 30 days to either pay the fine or file an appeal.
Millertown Sees Influx of Visitors to View Lakebed Exposed by Low Water Levels
Low water levels on Beothuk Lake have proven to be a bit of boon to the Town of Millertown, even as the sobering reality of climate change hits home.
Mayor Fiona Humber says seeing the sandy bottom exposed is like stepping back in time before the lake was flooded.
Beothuk Lake and Millertown when water levels are normal (Photo Facebook: Millertown)
She says they’ve seen plenty of visitors to the area to take in the phenomenon and walk the beach to pick up artifacts that haven’t been seen in more than a century.
Beothuk Lake water levels at Millertown, October 2025 (used with permission by Route 370- News & Weather on Facebook)
She says Millertown once occupied the area that is now exposed, and had to be moved back from the sandbar when the lake was flooded in 1927.
Beothuk Lake is part of a system of reservoirs that feed into it including Star Lake, Burnt Dam, Granite Lake and Victoria, all of which Humber says, are low.
“There’s just no water,” says Humber. “We’ve never seen anything like this. This is the first time it’s been this low in 100 years at least. It does open up your eyes to how important and serious climate change is in this area…I mean this has impacted multiple dammed reservoirs and they’re all incredibly low.”
Man Charged with Impaired After Crashing ATV in Happy Valley-Goose Bay
A 53-year-old man has been charged with impaired after crashing his ATV over the weekend in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
RCMP were first called to Mealy Mountain Road just after 5:30 Sunday evening after two ATVs collided.
First responders found the man, who was injured and unresponsive, lying across the handlebars of the vehicle.
He was taken to hospital for treatment but refused to provide a blood sample.
The man’s license was suspended and the vehicle impounded. He will appear in court at a later date to answer to a charge of refusal.
St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival Returns for 36th Year
The St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival rolled out the red carpet last night for the opening of its 36th iteration.
Filmmakers from across the country descended on the Majestic Theatre for “Blueberry Grunt,” a piece by Sherry White inspired by blueberry picking.
White says the festival is vital for independent filmmakers to showcase their talent right here at home.
“We have a very prolific arts community here and so it’s a great opportunity to highlight our homegrown films and also to bring films and filmmakers from other places so that we can meet and mingle and learn and all that fun stuff,” she told VOCM News.
The festival continues through the week with screenings at Alt Hotel, The Majestic and The Rooms.
Sheshatshiu RCMP Issue Warrant for 35-Year-Old Man
Sheshatshiu RCMP have issued an arrest warrant for a 35-year-old man.
Antuan Penashue is wanted on a charge of assault.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the RCMP or Crime Stoppers.
