Maine, U.S., man charged with second-degree murder after day-long manhunt in New Brunswick

A 47-year-old man from Maine, U.S., is facing a second-degree murder charge after police arrested him during a day-long manhunt in the Esgenoôpetitj (Burnt Church) First Nation area of New Brunswick on Friday.

According to an RCMP news release, Keith Martin was charged in connection to the death of Mark Mitchell, 48, from Esgenoôpetitj First Nation.

Police arrested Martin around 2:35 p.m. Friday following a nearly 24-hour long manhunt. Police initially issued an Alert Ready message after they found a 48-year-old man dead and another man injured due to a “firearm-related incident” in the Burnt Church area around 3:59 p.m. Thursday.

The second man went to hospital with what were believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said they were looking for Martin, who they believed was carrying a firearm “with dangerous intent.” During the search police closed Diggle Point Road to the public.

Howard Mitchell, who previously told CTV Atlantic his brother was the man who was killed, said he heard two shots on Thursday.

“I heard two shots and then I went outside and when I went outside I could hear another bang, bang, bang. One right after another,” he said. “My brother, he was a nice guy. He had a hard time of living and everything. Didn’t get along too much with the family and that, but I was there for him all the time.”

Martin appeared in Miramichi provincial court on Saturday and was remanded into custody. He is due back in court Wednesday morning.

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