Police lay 2nd degree murder charge in Jessome killing

Cape Breton police have laid a second degree murder charge against 21-year-old Morgan James McNeil in the murder of Laura Jessome, whose remains were found stuffed inside a hockey bag on the Mira River last year.

McNeil,from Glace Bay, was arrested late Wednesday night and was charged with Jessome's murder Thursday evening.

McNeil will appear in Sydney Provincial Court on Friday morning.He remains in custody at the Cape Breton Correctional Centre.

Cape Breton police spokesperson Desiree Vassallo said McNeil was already in custody when he was charged.

Vassallo said there could be more charges to come.

She said Cape Breton police are still actively investigating the murder.

"There's an investigative team of 10 people, roughly, that would be full-time dedicated to this investigation," she said.

Jessome, 21, was last seen May 2 in the New Aberdeen area of Glace Bay. A hockey bag containing her remains was found along the Mira River near Marion Bridge several weeks later, on May 25.

Police have not said how she died.

Brian Augustine Deruelle, 37, and Robert Edwin Matheson, 49 both from Glace Bay were arrested last month and both were charged with accessory after the fact.

In court documents filed in December, officers identified Glace Bay residents Thomas Barrett and Morgan MacNeil as the suspects in Jessome's murder, though neither was immediately charged.

Barrett is already in custody on a different matter.