More than a dozen members of Esther Jones‘ family made their way to a Kentville, N.S., courtroom Monday in a show of solidarity as the man accused of killing her made his first appearance.
Esther Uhlman, who was named after her aunt Esther, called the whole ordeal “a shock.”
“You never expect to have your family deal with a murder, especially that close. When it’s the murder of someone you know, it’s very, very devastating,” she said.
Dale Allen Toole, 54, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of the Jones, 55.
During a news conference on Sept 13, RCMP said Toole had been detained by American authorities at the Houston airport, just before attempting to board a plane to Mexico.
He was extradited to Canada and brought back to Nova Scotia on the weekend.
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Jones was reported missing from Torbrook, N.S. in Annapolis County, on Sept. 2, and was last seen at the Kingston Bible College in Greenwood on Aug. 31.
RCMP have said they believe the homicide took place at that school, and included “a struggle.”
While no remains have been recovered, RCMP said the first-degree murder charge was based on evidence found.
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Uhlman said she didn’t believe the accused and Jones knew each other personally, but would have known of each other in their small community.
“The Joneses are well known in the area. They’re a very large family… he would have known who she was. But I don’t know of any direct relationship between the two,” she said.
Monday’s court appearance was brief, and Toole is scheduled to return for a second appearance on Oct. 23.
‘Kind, loving, sweet sister’
Outside the courtroom, Jones’ family shared stories about a woman who loved music, who cared for others and who had much to look forward to.
“I want her to be remembered as the kind, loving, sweet sister and community member that she was. Where she was forever trying to make somebody else’s life better,” said Jones’ sister, Margery Parker.
“She would go down to the veteran’s wing and the Mayflower wing (of the seniors’ home), and she would play the piano and sing. And that just came from her heart.”
Jones was one of 15 siblings who had recently lost their mother. Jones had been their mother’s primary caregiver and was working on finding a “new normal.”
“She was looking forward to coming out to visit me, doing some traveling and stuff that she hadn’t had the opportunity to do,” Parker recalled.
“And we were looking forward to bringing her out West and we just didn’t get there.”
Meanwhile, the front doors of the Kingston Bible College have become a makeshift memorial for Jones. Flowers, cards and signs adorn the steps.
“It obviously breaks your heart to go and see (the memorial), but in the same sense, it’s heartwarming to see how many people loved and cared about us and cared about Esther and how much she was valued,” Uhlman said.
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