N.S. RCMP confirms man who killed wife in Enfield was a retired Mountie

Brenda Tatlock-Burke, who was killed by her husband of 33 years on Oct. 19, 2024, is pictured. (Courtesy: Tara Graham)

The Nova Scotia RCMP has now confirmed a man who killed his wife and then killed himself in Enfield, N.S., last month was a retired Mountie.

Police initially told CTV News they couldn’t “confirm or disclose any personal information including (an) individual’s past employment status, unless it’s to advance an investigation.”

However, police provided an update Thursday, confirming the man was an RCMP officer who retired more than 10 years ago.

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“In relation to the intimate partner violence homicide in Enfield that occurred on October 18, we’ve looked into this more and have learned that while past employment status is considered personal information under the Privacy Act, we are able to release the information for former RCMP employees,” said Halifax RCMP Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay in an email to CTV News.

The RCMP was called to the couple’s home on Rockliffe Drive the morning of Oct. 19. They found the bodies of the 61-year-old man and 59-year-old woman inside.

Police have confirmed that the man killed the woman and then killed himself. They also confirmed that the incident, which they say “involved a firearm,” was due to “intimate partner violence.”

Victim’s daughter wants an apology

Police have not named the people involved, or confirmed their relationship, but the victim’s daughter, Tara Graham, has identified them as Mike Burke and Brenda Tatlock-Burke.

Graham told CTV News last week that Burke was a retired RCMP officer and that the couple had been married for 33 years. She said her mother was about to leave Burke and she believes that’s what led him to kill her.

Graham has expressed frustration over the lack of information released by the RCMP about the case, including the fact that they would initially only say the people were “known to one another” – words she says minimizes what actually happened to her mother.

She is also upset police didn’t release the couple’s names and wouldn’t initially confirm Burke was a retired police officer.

“An RCMP officer that is abusing their spouse is abusing their power and control and people need to recognize that this happens in any demographic of society, any job title of society, even ones that we’re supposed to turn to for safety,” said Graham, speaking from her home in Cochrane, Alta. Thursday.

Since her mother’s death, Graham has been vocal about her frustrations with the RCMP and how they handle domestic violence cases. She says many women have reached out to her to share their own stories about domestic abuse – many of them in relationships with or ex-partners of men in law enforcement.

“And it’s really important that it’s known what he was because we trust RCMP, and not that we shouldn’t continue, it’s just there are so many women still in those relationships that are still too scared and they need to hear that it’s not just happening to them,” said Graham.

“It’s not just a one-off.”

While Graham is glad police are finally admitting the man who killed her mother was a retired Mountie, she feels she and her family are owed an apology.

“I appreciate that they are listening to us,” said Graham. “Honestly, from my heart of hearts I would have liked an apology because they used our family as an excuse to hide behind their own issues. And I just, I would have liked an apology that we were used and that wasn’t actually the case. They even stated that once they looked into it they could have released that.”

In their initial news release, police stated “in consideration of the Privacy Act and out of respect for the families, the RCMP/HRP Integrated Criminal Investigation Division will not be releasing any further details.”

However, Graham says her family was never consulted about the release of information. She also says she hasn’t heard from the RCMP since Oct. 24.

“I expected to hear from somebody but I haven’t heard from anybody,” she says. “At some point they are going to have to answer and at some point I will have a conversation.”

Meanwhile, she plans to continue raising awareness about domestic violence, especially with a provincial election on the horizon in Nova Scotia, where there have been three murder-suicides linked to intimate partner violence in just three weeks.

“I’ve been so shocked at the amount of women that have reached out and shared their stories. I just think it’s absolutely absurd that this is so prevalent and so not being addressed,” said Graham.

“Of all the issues we talk about in society, this one is so important. It needs to be addressed and this is the time to bring it to the forefront. People are listening right now and this is when it needs to be talked about.” 

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.