RCMP have arrested and charged a 31-year-old man in the death of a New Brunswick woman in what police believe to be a case of intimate partner violence.
On April 15, the St. George RCMP detachment received a report of a missing 26-year-old woman from Musquash, N.B., who was later identified as Sarah Teakles.
Two days later on April 17, RCMP with the assistance of police dogs, found Teakles’ vehicle and her body in Maces Bay.
Then on April 21, Calvin Burns-Smith, from Musquash, N.B., who was already in custody on unrelated matters after being arrested by the Saint John Police Force, was arrested by the New Brunswick RCMP in connection with the investigation.
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Burns-Smith was charged with manslaughter and indignity to a dead body on April 22 after appearing in Saint John Provincial Court.
RCMP Cpl. Hans Ouellette says Teakles death is being investigated as a case of intimate partner violence.
Ouellette says looking at this as a case of intimate partner violence is a part of the bigger picture of this investigation.
Burns-Smith was remanded into custody, and is scheduled to return to court on April 28 at 9:30 a.m.
In February, New Brunswick advocates were calling for the province to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic.
The demand comes as the province had the highest rate of police-reported cases in Atlantic Canada in 2023.
According to Statistics Canada, 3,043 people reported intimate partner violence that year, and more than two-thirds of them were women.
RCMP are urging anyone with information on this case to contact them.
With files from Global News’ Anna Mandin
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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