Victim of N.S. home invasion dies, family wants 'Justice For Vernon'

Adam Lawrence describes his stepfather, Vernon Doucet, as a man who would step up to help anyone in his community, anytime.

Doucet was Lawrence’s stepfather for the past two decades, after meeting his mother at a local dance in southwestern Nova Scotia.

Lawrence says the 64-year-old was born and raised in the Concession area and was “just a good guy,” who owned a lobster fishing boat with his son.

"I liked him from the start," says Lawrence.

"He was good to my mom, that’s all that really mattered to me."

Now, those who knew Doucet are mourning his loss, after he was brutally attacked in his home at 7:25 a.m. on Feb. 16. Lawrence says Doucet was alone at the time in his home on Second Division Road. He says a friend stopped by for coffee, and found Doucet so badly beaten, it was hard to recognize him.

He was taken to Yarmouth Regional Hospital by ambulance and placed into an induced coma.

Lawrence says his stepfather was taken for treatment in Halifax. After a slight improvement, Doucet was sent back for care at the hospital in Yarmouth but took a turn for the worse.

He died on March 12.

"It's just not right," says Lawrence.

"A normal human being doesn't do that to another human being, it's selfish, it's cruel, its heartless."

Community members in the Concession area raised a $10,000 reward for credible information provided anonymously through email, sharing details online using #justiceforvernon.

Lawrence says the resulting information on possible suspects has been shared with police.

"It's going to take finding the people who did this, and bringing them to justice, to make things right," says Lawrence.

Monday, the RCMP would only say its working with the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner’s Office and treating the death as suspicious.

"The investigation is ongoing," says Nova Scotia RCMP spokesperson Cst. Guillaume Tremblay.

"We are collecting evidence daily."

Guillaume says several RCMP units are involved in the investigation, and the force is also seeking information from the public in its partnership with Crime Stoppers.

"I would say to community members that everyone is safe," adds Guillaume.

"The RCMP is leading the investigation with the Southwest Nova Major Crime Unit, along with many other units like RCMP Forensic Identification Services."

According to a news release, RCMP Police Dog Services, along with Southwest RCMP Traffic Services, and investigators from detachments in Meteghan, Digby and Yarmouth are also involved.

But with no arrests almost a month after the attack, Lawrence wants justice for his stepfather.

"I just feel like the RCMP could be doing more, and making this more urgent," he says.

Lawrence had hoped his stepfather would be at his wedding later this year. But instead, he says family and friends will say goodbye in a memorial service as soon as COVID-19 restrictions loosen.