Halifax Regional Police are investigating a chilling case of intimate partner violence that left three people dead on New Year’s Eve. Forty-year-old Cora-Lee Smith and her 73-year-old father, Bradford Downey, were fatally shot, and Smith’s boyfriend, 39-year-old Matthew Costain, was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The incident began Tuesday night at approximately 10:35 p.m. when police responded to reports of an injured person near Gottingen and Charles streets. Upon arrival, they found a car with two gunshot victims. Cora-Lee Smith had succumbed to her injuries at the scene, while her father, Bradford Downey, was transported to the hospital, where he later died.
The Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service has determined their deaths to be homicides. Early Wednesday morning, police received information about a man connected to the victims near the Halifax Common skating oval. Officers arrived at around 1:30 a.m. to discover Matthew Costain deceased from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A firearm was recovered at the scene, and investigators believe Costain was responsible for the earlier shootings. This tragedy marks another grim chapter in Nova Scotia’s ongoing battle with intimate partner violence, an issue that has left the community grappling with heartbreak and loss.
Advocates for domestic violence prevention have called for urgent action to address the systemic issues contributing to such tragedies. They stress the need for comprehensive support systems for victims and targeted interventions to prevent escalation in abusive relationships. As the investigation continues, Halifax residents mourn the loss of three lives and reflect on the need for stronger measures to combat intimate partner violence.
