Yarmouth man found guilty of second-degree murder in death of Colton Cook
A jury has delivered a guilty verdict in the 2020 murder of a man from the Yarmouth, N.S., area.
Colton James Cook, 26, was reported missing from Brooklyn, N.S., on Sept. 27, 2020.
Later that day, police found partial remains near his burned truck in Yarmouth.
On Sept. 29, officers found the rest of Colton's remains near the intersection of Saunders and Raynardton Road in South Ohio, N.S.
Robert Charles Rogers of Yarmouth County was charged on Oct. 2 with murder and interfering with human remains.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and went to trial at the Supreme Court in Yarmouth this month.
Thursday night, the jury found Rogers guilty of second-degree murder and interfering with human remains.
"Happy for the verdict. Right now, I'm overjoyed,” said Colton's mother, Stacey Cook, by phone from her home in Yarmouth.
“It's hard to be there on our end and sit there and watch what you have to watch, hear what you have to hear, and have no say.”
Jennifer Stairs, the director of communications for the Nova Scotia Judiciary, confirmed the guilty verdict to CTV News.
Stairs says the charge carries an automatic life sentence, but the court still needs to determine when Rogers will be eligible for parole. He remains in custody and is due back in court for a sentencing hearing on Feb. 2.
Two other men were arrested in the case and pleaded guilty.
Wayne Richard Crawford of Yarmouth County pleaded guilty on Jan. 3 to second-degree murder. He remains in custody and is set to be sentenced on May 30.
Keith Arthur Siscoe of Yarmouth County pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder on July 18, 2022. He remains in custody and is set to be sentenced on Feb. 3.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as explosions heard near Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning as explosions could be heard near a major air base near Isfahan, raising fears of a possible Israeli strike following Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.