Ricardo Jerrel Whynder, the man charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Matthew Sudds, made a brief court appearance on Tuesday.
READ MORE: Charges laid in connection with 2013 homicide of Matthew Sudds
“A first-degree murder charge has less to do with the amount of evidence, it’s the type of evidence,” said Crown attorney Rick Woodburn.
“It has to do with whether or not there’s some planning and deliberation involved in the actual murder. Sometimes a second-degree murder is more say heat of the moment or passion and first degree is more planning and deliberation.”
Whynder, 32, was arrested on a Canada-wide warrant in Surrey, B.C., on Friday and transported back to Halifax on Monday.
Sudds’ body was found in a ditch near Africville Park in October of 2013. An autopsy revealed he had been fatally shot. For years, his case remained unsolved.
“Sometimes these things take a long time,” Woodburn said. “Evidence comes up over the years and that’s exactly what happened here.”
Whynder is no stranger to police. Sources say he was one of the victims involved in a double shooting on Gottingen Street in April 2016.
Naricho Clayton, 23, died at the scene. The aftermath of the incident was captured on surveillance video and appears to show an injured Whynder running from the scene.
READ MORE: Death of Matthew Sudds added to N.S. reward program for unsolved crimes
In 2002, Whynder was convicted of shooting a cab driver in the back of the head, an incident that left the man blind.
He was only 17 years old at the time but sentenced as an adult to more than seven years in prison. While in jail, parole documents show that Whynder was involved in several violent incidents, like assaulting a fellow inmate, which added time to his original sentence.
Whynder was denied parole during six hearings while he was in jail. In 2009, documents obtained from the Parole Board of Canada say that the Board felt if released, Whynder was “likely to commit an offence causing the death of or serious harm to another person.”
He was released from prison in April 2013, just six months before it’s alleged he shot and killed Sudds.
Halifax Regional Police (HRP) won’t say how long Whynder has been a suspect in Sudds’ homicide. In May 2014, two people were arrested in connection with the murder but were released without charges. Police won’t confirm whether Whynder was one of the individuals arrested at the time.
“Because these two individuals were not charged at the time I can’t confirm or deny that it was him,” said HRP Staff Sgt. Don Stienburg.
Despite charges being laid, police say their homicide investigation remains active, but won’t say if they are looking for another suspect.
“It’s still an ongoing investigation and our door is always open for people coming forward with information,” Stienburg said.
READ MORE: Police investigating Matthew Sudds homicide now searching for car
Sudds’ death is also part of the Rewards for Major Unsolved Crimes Program, which offers a reward of up to $150,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.
Whynder will remain in custody until his next court appearance scheduled for March 24. If he wants to apply for bail, Whynder will need to make an application to Nova Scotia Supreme Court.
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