Person charged in missing Cape Breton man case appears in court

Suspect in disappearance appears in Sydney court The second person charged in the death of Justin MacDonald appeared in court in Sydney, N.S., Monday.

More than 30 people packed the courtroom at the Sydney Justice Centre in Cape Breton on Monday as the second person charged in connection to the disappearance of Justin MacDonald showed up in court via video link.

"Can I say, 'Happy and sad?'" said MacDonald's father, Ken MacDonald, when asked about his reaction to the latest arrest. "Glad that they got somebody else. Sad that (it involves) our son."

Peggy MacDonald, the missing man’s mother, said it was “horrific” to see the suspect in court, even through a video screen.

On Friday, Cape Breton Regional Police arrested 36-year-old Ryan Joseph Pyke in Reserve Mines, N.S.

Pyke has been charged with second-degree murder and robbery in connection to the disappearance of MacDonald, 34, who was last seen on surveillance footage at a North Sydney gas station on July 7.

Police announced in November they were investigating MacDonald's disappearance as a homicide.

"Because he (Pyke) is charged with murder, the provincial court has no jurisdiction to determine bail," said Crown attorney Peter Harrison after the brief court appearance.

On Dec. 13, 38-year-old Mitchell McPhee of Sydney was arrested and charged with manslaughter in the case, along with robbery and assault.

Police say further arrests and charges are pending.

In court Monday, Pyke was ordered to not contact more than a dozen names on a list.

"There is an extensive no-contact list," Harrison said. "It relates to the police investigation and there's no more information I can provide at this time."

MacDonald's family has searched for him for months and the turnout of supporters at court meant a lot.

"It says that Justin was well-known in the community," Ken MacDonald said. "We support our community, we always have, and so I think this is them giving back to us and saying, 'We got your backs.'”

MacDonald's parents said there is still no word on the whereabouts of his remains.

"We look for Justin every day,” Ken MacDonald said. "I'm hoping that they're going to tell us that they found him, or that someone's going to talk."

Pyke is set to attend a bail hearing in Sydney on Jan. 22. McPhee is due back in court on Jan. 15.

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