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N.S. RCMP investigating homicide in East Stewiacke, 17-year-old in custody

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17-year-old in custody as N.S. RCMP investigate homicide in East Stewiacke
WATCH: RCMP have a 17-year-old male in custody in connection with an ongoing homicide investigation. Natasha Pace brings us the latest information – Aug 18, 2017

WARNING: This story contains graphic information. 

RCMP have a 17-year-old male in custody in connection with an ongoing homicide investigation.

Police were called to a disturbance at a home in East Stewiacke, N.S., around 3:30 a.m. Friday.

Cpl. Dal Hutchinson, spokesperson for the RCMP, would not comment on what kind of disturbance prompted the call or whether it came from inside the house.

READ MORE: 66 charged with impaired driving in Halifax during July

When they arrived on scene, police say they found a 46-year-old man suffering from life-threatening injuries.

The man was transported to the Colchester East Hants Health Centre where he was pronounced dead.

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“Given that it is still early in the investigation and it is a sensitive investigation, I’m not able to confirm how the 46-year-old man died,” said Hutchinson.

Police would not confirm the name but his wife, Shelly Woods, identified him as Daniel Handrahan.

Daniel Handrahan has been identified by his wife, Shelly Woods, as the victim of the Friday morning homicide in Stewiacke. Shelly Woods/Facebook

Officers arrested a 17-year-old male at the scene, who remains in police custody at this time.

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Woods told Global News that she’s still “trying to wrap my mind around it.”

“He was a great big man … with a bigger heart than you can imagine,” she said.

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She said Handrahan was a military veteran and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, “but lived life like an adventure every day.”

“He worked hard to instill work ethics in his children and my own when they had no one else… he was my best friend, soulmate and co-worker, boss…Daniel was my saviour.”

Hutchinson says RCMP won’t confirm the relationship between the youth and the 46-year-old.

But Woods told Global News the family knew that of the 17-year-old’s.

“I will also publicly state that these kids have been bullying my family for the past year and he only wanted the parents to come correct [the 17-year-old’s] behaviour…he knocked on the door, spoke to his parents and [name redacted] slashed his throat in front of our three kids. Then [the suspect’s] tried to hold [Daniel’s] neck together till the ambulance [arrived],” she said.

Forensic identification officers were on scene as of 6 p.m.

Charges are expected to be laid with Hutchinson adding that police will have 24 hours to determine what the 17-year-old will be charged with.

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With files from Sean Previl, Global News

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