First-degree murder charge laid after disappearance of 61-year-old Pictou County man

Steven Boudreau was reported missing on April 19, 2026. (Courtesy of Nova Scotia RCMP)

A Torbrook, N.S. man has been charged with first-degree murder in relation to the disappearance of a 61-year-old man from Pictou County.

Steven Boudreau was reported missing from Hopewell, N.S., on April 19 and was last seen on Elgin Road around 5 p.m. on April 18.

Investigators determined the circumstances of his disappearance were suspicious, and the RCMP Southwest Nova Major Crime Unit took the lead in the investigation.

“Investigators subsequently gathered information and evidence that ultimately led to the successful recovery of Boudreau’s remains,” reads a news release from the Nova Scotia RCMP.

Officers arrested a 29-year-old man at a residence on East Torbrook Road, in Torbrook, N.S., Wednesday.

Cody Reid Palmer is charged with first-degree murder and has been remanded into custody. He is set to appear in Kentville provincial court on June 16.

The investigation is ongoing and has been assisted by RCMP Forensic Identification Services, Digital Forensic Services, and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner’s Office.

“Our thoughts are with Steven Boudreau’s family, his friends and his community at this difficult time,” reads the news release.

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