Codey Reginald Hennigar is taken from court in Dartmouth, N.S. on Friday, Jan. 9, 2015. Hennigar has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of two people found in a house fire in Wyses Corner, N.S. near Halifax. The cause of death of another person discovered later inside the home remains under investigation. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
Republished January 09, 2015 - 1:48 PM
Original Publication Date January 09, 2015 - 6:45 AM
HALIFAX - A 30-year-old man was charged with second-degree murder Friday in connection with the deaths of two people found in a house fire in Halifax.
Codey Reginald Hennigar from Wyses Corner, N.S., is charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of 81-year-old Clifford William Ward and 54-year-old Mildred Ann Ward, both from Wyses Corner.
The RCMP said another person discovered later inside the home Old Guysborough Road was the victim of a homicide and their investigation continues.
Given the condition of the body, investigators believe it will take some time before the identity will be known, the Mounties said.
Hennigar appeared in Dartmouth provincial court wearing a red fleece jacket, looking down at his clasped hands as he sat on the prisoner's bench. His case was adjourned to Jan. 30.
The fire at the home erupted Wednesday at around 4:30 p.m.
The home is in a rural, wooded area about 25 kilometres northeast of Halifax's airport.
RCMP Cpl. Greg Church said Hennigar was taken into custody at about 12:45 a.m. Thursday after someone rammed two police vehicles with a car in the Milford area, about a half-hour drive from the scene of the blaze.
Autopsies have been completed on the bodies of Clifford and Mildred Ward, but Church would not release their causes of death.
He also wouldn't discuss relationships between the deceased and the accused, citing the federal Privacy Act.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version had an incorrect spelling for the name of Mildred Ann Ward.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2015