Father of murdered Cape Breton man says he has found son’s remains

The father of a missing Cape Breton man says the recently found human remains are those of his son.

The father of a missing Cape Breton man believed to have been murdered says he has found his son’s remains.

Ken MacDonald told CTV News he and his friend were out searching the Morley Road area in Sydney, N.S., Monday afternoon when they made the discovery.

“I said to him, ‘Stick your head out the window.’ We were just looking for anything. He said, ‘I think I see a sandal’ and when we matched it up I said, ‘That’s Justin’s,’” said MacDonald.

MacDonald and his wife Peggy have been out searching almost every day since their son was last seen. He says they found the remains not far from where they found the sandal and contacted police.

“We saw his shirt and I saw the skull and I searched around, and then emotions took over and I called police right away,” said MacDonald.

Cape Breton Regional Police have confirmed they found possible human remains in the area but have not said whether they belong to Justin MacDonald. Police said they were called to the Morley Road area around 5 p.m. Monday.

MacDonald’s parents have taken to social media to tell people, as far as they are concerned, the search for their son is over.

“Justin’s birthday is this Saturday. He would be 35. It was a long road. We’re almost a year, it was a long road and now we get to bring him home,” said MacDonald.

MacDonald says he was handed another item by one of the investigators working the scene on Morley Road – a bracelet with an inscription on it that he says matches one often worn by Justin.

“It says, ‘Everything’s going to be alright.’”

Kenneth “Justin” MacDonald, 34, was last seen on surveillance footage at the Irving gas station on Commercial Street in North Sydney, N.S., on July 7, 2024. He was reported missing the next day.

Investigators found his vehicle, a blue Kia Forte, roughly 25 kilometers away in the Ormand Crescent area of Mira Road on July 10.

Police announced in November 2024 they were treating his disappearance as a homicide.

Three men were arrested and charged in December 2024 in connection with MacDonald’s disappearance and murder.

Aaron Curtis Mickey, 45, was charged with second-degree murder, robbery and four firearm-related offences.

Ryan Joseph Pyke, 36, was charged with second-degree murder and robbery.

Mitchell McPhee, 38, was charged with manslaughter, robbery and assault.

In January, police issued a public plea for help in finding MacDonald’s remains.

Investigators have previously said MacDonald’s death was an isolated incident and not a random act.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald

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