The brother of a man who died at the hands of a mental health patient 15 years ago is renewing his demands for change in the system, after a Halifax man was murdered early Tuesday.

A patient who was on an unescorted leave from the East Coast Forensic Hospital has been charged in the murder of 49-year-old Raymond Taavel and the crime has forced Raymond Sheppard to relive his own brother's murder.

‘When I heard about Mr. Taavel's death, it really hit home because here's another person who's gone to rest, needlessly," he says.

Sheppard's brother Warren was killed 16 years ago.

He was living at a group home for people with mental illness when he was fatally stabbed by another resident.

An inquiry into his death was conducted but Sheppard says little has changed.

"If you don't have the programs and services in place, the checks and balances, it just puts people in the community at risk," he says.

The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission is also speaking out about the incident, saying the attack has raised discussion about violence and human rights.

"Raymond Taavel's death is tragic and underscores the need for all Nova Scotians to respect each other," said director and CEO David Shannon in a statement released Friday. "Equality, understanding and dignity are hallmarks of human rights and it is the duty of each and every one of us to model these standards not just in our thoughts but also in our actions."

Friends of Raymond Taavel, a well-known gay rights activist, say he held those values dear to his heart and they hope others will be just as compassionate.

"This horrible tragedy gives us an opportunity to build as many bridges as we can and I think that's what could come out of this," says Barry Boyce, Taavel's co-worker and friend.

In the meantime, plans are underway to help cover the cost of Taavel's funeral expenses. The owner of Menz & Mollyz Bar in Halifax, where Taavel was a regular, has set up a fund to help his family and a fundraiser will be held there Sunday.

Memorial services will be held in Taavel's hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario as well as in Halifax.

"I think it's going to show his family that he was loved, that he had a family here in Halifax, and that we all very much cared for him," says fundraising organizer Jeff MacPherson.

Vigils have been planned in other parts of the region, including one in Sydney Friday night.

"Before we do anything, we have to grieve," says Evan Coole, a spokesperson with Pride Cape Breton. "We have to mourn and this is a way to do that as a community."

Funeral arrangements are expected to be finalized in the next few days.

A trust fund has been set up in Raymond Taavel's name at TD Canada Trust. Donations can be made at branches across Canada and in the U.S.

They can also be made in person at Menz & Mollyz Bar on Gottingen Street.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Jill Matthews