'I want him to see me': Mother confronts man accused of murdering son

Skinner appears in Dartmouth court Security was tight at Dartmouth court on Monday for the appearance of Steve Skinner.

Emotions were running high and there was a heavy police presence at Dartmouth provincial court Monday morning as Steven Skinner made his first court appearance after being extradited back to Canada from Venezuela.

Skinner is accused of killing 20-year-old Stacey Adams, who was found dead at a home in Lake Echo, N.S. in April 2011.

In July 2011, police charged Skinner with second-degree murder and issued an international warrant for his arrest.

The former mixed martial arts fighter was arrested almost five years later, on May 15, 2016, by police on Margarita Island in Venezuela.

Police in Nova Scotia have been working with authorities over the past year to extradite Skinner back to Canada. The 44-year-old Cole Harbour, N.S. man arrived in Nova Scotia on Saturday.

Gloria Adams says a homicide detective involved in her son’s case notified her Saturday that Skinner was back on Canadian soil.

“It kind of threw me off for a minute, the emotions come flooding back,” said Gloria Adams, who was surrounded by supporters Monday morning.

A number of Adams’ friends and family members donned T-shirts saying “We Stay On Point Like Stacey Adams” as they gathered outside the courthouse.

Gloria Adams shouted, "Skinner, Skinner, who's this right here?" at the man accused of murdering her son as he exited the sheriff’s van and was led into the courthouse in handcuffs.

“I want him to see me,” she told CTV Atlantic. “I want him to look at the woman that raised that young man.”

She says the last six years have been difficult for her and her family and seeing Skinner is bittersweet. She also says she made a promise to her son that she would continue to fight for justice.

“It’s been six years, so, as time goes on, you live with hope, you continue your hunt, you fulfill your promise, and, at the end of the day, let it be an example for anybody else out here that wants justice, listen, jump on board and do everything you’ve got to do to bring it,” said Adams.

“When something like this happens to a family, a mom, you get thrown into a world that you don’t even know exists. I went into a rage that I never thought as a human being and as a mother that I was capable of having. I didn’t know a rage existed in a human being like that.”

Skinner will be held in remand until his next court appearance on July 5.

“I can’t predict what’s going to happen in court. I can’t even predict what the next step is, but all I know is that I now have closure to my promise,” said Gloria Adams. “The rest is up to the Justice Department.”

In addition to the second-degree murder charge, Skinner is also facing a slew of charges, including assault and forcible confinement, in connection with an incident in Lower Sackville on July 22, 2009.