A Quebec man, who was on the country’s list of top 25 most wanted by law enforcement, has been arrested in connection to a 2021 homicide in Nova Scotia.
Valdo (C.J.) Pauyo was taken into custody in Montreal on April 26.
It’s alleged the 29-year-old fled Nova Scotia after the July 2021 homicide of Douglas (Bert) Knockwood, 42, of Sipekne’katik First Nation. Knockwood was found dead in a Millbrook, N.S. home.
Back in 2021, RCMP in Nova Scotia obtained a Canada-wide arrest warrant for Pauyo, and said at the time that they had “made several attempts to locate” him and believed he had changed his appearance.
Pauyo is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Knockwood.
On April 23 of this year, Pauyo was added to the BOLO Program — Canada’s top 25 most wanted list. Police say this led to a tip about a possible sighting in the Montreal area.
Three days later, Pauyo was arrested in Montreal by Québec RCMP Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) and the RCMP Northeast Nova Major Crime Unit.
“The investigation was assisted by the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Sûreté du Québec, and the BOLO Program,” RCMP noted in a Tuesday news release.
Pauyo has been flown back to Nova Scotia and is scheduled to appear before Supreme Court in Truro, N.S. on May 7.
“The Nova Scotia RCMP would like to thank the public for their assistance in sharing the BOLO Program’s Top 25 Most Wanted List and coming forward to police with tips,” RCMP said.