Graham Veitch, 18, charged with 1st-degree murder of David Collins

Graham Veitch, 18, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of pharmacist David Collins in Logy-Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove on Sunday evening.

Veitch appeared in court in St. John's to hear his charges on Monday afternoon — charges which also include assaulting his mother and brother with a hammer, assaulting a police officer, stealing a motor vehicle and evading police through Portugal Cove-St. Philip's.

Veitch, who turns 19 on Dec. 28, will remain in custody and be back in provincial court on Friday.

The accused is the son of the woman Collins was living with, CBC has confirmed.

Collins was a longtime member of the Pharmacists' Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, having just recently completed a term on the association's board of directors.

Collins, originally from Placentia, worked in a leadership role with the Lawton's chain of pharmacies, but continued to practice as a pharmacist.

Police and other emergency responders were called to 32 Cadigan's Road in Logy Bay around 7:15 p.m. Sunday. Collins was rushed to hospital, but later died.

The accused fled the home and was located just after 11 p.m.

Police said he rammed a marked police car and then tried to drive around it when the vehicle he was driving struck a second police car.

Finally, a police pickup drove into the suspect's car to prevent it from leaving the scene. 

At a midday media briefing Monday, RNC Const. Talia Murphy refused to say what type of weapon was involved, or comment on the nature of the relationship between Collins and the accused.