Woman, her father shot dead by man in intimate partner violence attack: Halifax police

Police in Halifax say a woman and her father were shot and killed by her boyfriend on New Year’s Eve in a domestic violence case.

According to Halifax Regional Police (HRP), the suspect was found a few hours later and also died of gunshot wounds.

Officers were initially called to the 2400 block of Göttingen Street just after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.

“Upon arrival, officers located a vehicle with the deceased female inside, as well as an unresponsive male. The male was later taken to hospital where he died from his injuries,” said HRP spokesman Const Martin Cromwell.

Police identified them as Cora-Lee Smith, 40, and her father Bradford Downey, 73.

Cromwell said officers learned their suspect was nearby at Halifax Commons and found him there at 10 p.m. 01.30 Wednesday.

The man, later identified as 39-year-old Matthew Costain, was found dead. Cromwell said he is believed to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“Through our investigation, we are confident that this individual is involved in the murders,” Cromwell said.

Police noted that Costain was “known to be in a relationship with Ms Smith” and called the incidents intimate partner violence.

‘We grieve and hurt together’

The Rev. Jivaro Smith, the pastor of Saint Thomas Baptist Church in North Preston, said he knew the homicide victims and their families.

The priest described Cora-Lee Smith as “a fun-loving person, with love for life and respect for her family.”

Her father “was a great guy who wouldn’t hurt a flea. He’s one of the nicest men you could ever meet and he had a love for people,” the priest said, adding that Downey had worked for a paving company before retiring.

“He would take the shirt off his family members and his friends and people he came in contact with.”

He said the close-knit community is in a state of shock over the deaths. “There is a sense of devastation, shock, there is a sadness for two innocent and sweet people who did not deserve this fate.”

“It affects families throughout society. We share each other’s joys and pains, and as a community we grieve and hurt together.”

Intimate partner violence epidemic

Intimate partner violence has been recognized as an epidemic in the province and was formally declared as such in the Nova Scotia legislature in September 2024.

On social media, Adsum for Women & Children called for action to prevent such cases.

“Another case in Nova Scotia (with) devastating consequences,” the advocacy group wrote on X. “Those in power need to act to prevent gender-based violence and respond to this epidemic.”

In an interview with Global News, Transition House Association of Nova Scotia executive director Ann de Ste. Croix said the province is overdue for changes that will address the epidemic.

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“We need the sustainable funding to continue to meet the needs of those in the province, and as these tragic femicides indicate, the need is great in our province,” she said.

She added that transitional shelters provided services to about 4,500 women and children in 2024 — a significant increase from the nearly 4,000 they helped the year before.

“What we’ve seen consistently in our transition houses is an increased demand for our services, and we’re constantly at capacity in our shelters,” she said.

During the election campaign last fall, the province experienced three cases of intimate partner violence that resulted in death. All three major party leaders on the campaign trail used the word epidemic to describe the situation.

The Mass Injuries Commission’s findings and recommendations, which resulted from an investigation into the April 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia, also addressed intimate partner violence.

One of the commission’s recommendations was that “all levels of government in Canada declare gender-based, intimate partner and family violence an epidemic that warrants a meaningful and sustained response across society.”

— with files from Global News’ Jake Webb and The Canadian Press

Call 911 if you or someone you know is in immediate danger.

A list of resources for them experiencing violence in intimate relationships:

Bryony House in Halifax.

Crisis centers for women and their children experiencing violence.

Shelter Nova Scotia for emergency accommodation for men.

KidsHelpPhone.ca for children or teenagers.

If you need crisis services, please call or text 211 or toll-free 1-855-466-4994.

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