Police believe Joseph Madore may be camping in a remote area of BC, while Brayton Kennedy’s location is unknown
PERTH, Ont., — Police have made a second arrest in a months-long death investigation, as investigators warn that two suspects wanted for second-degree murder may have fled to British Columbia.
Arrest warrants have been issued for Joseph Madore, 34, and Brayton Kennedy, 28, both of Ottawa, who are each charged with second-degree murder.
Investigators believe that Madore may currently be camping in a remote area of rural British Columbia, while Kennedy’s exact whereabouts remain unknown.
“If seen, do not approach,” the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) warned in a statement released Thursday. Anyone with information is urged to contact police immediately.
The charges stem from a deadly incident on April 12, when officers from the Lanark County OPP detachment responded to Last Duel Park at approximately 3:15 p.m. Officers found one person suffering from life-threatening injuries. The victim, identified as 34-year-old Christo Allison Richards of Ottawa, was rushed to a trauma centre but later pronounced dead.
In May, a 46-year-old Perth resident was charged with conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the investigation.
As the case progressed, OPP investigators — assisted by the RCMP — executed a search warrant at a rural property near Terrace, B.C., where two firearms were seized.
On Thursday, police announced that Lyna Du, 32, of Ottawa, has been arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to murder. Du remains in custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Perth on June 12.
The Lanark County OPP is leading the investigation under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, working alongside the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service. OPP Forensic Identification Services is also assisting.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of MADORE or KENNEDY — or any details related to the investigation — is asked to contact Lanark County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
