N.S. offers $250K for information in 2021 homicide of 8-year-old

The Nova Scotia government is offering the largest award it's ever put up for help solving the homicide of an eight-year-old boy who was shot and killed in Dartmouth, N.S., last year.

Officials say anyone with information leading to an arrest and conviction in the death of Lee'Marion Cain of North Preston, N.S., will be given $250,000 — $100,000 more than the maximum amount of $150,000 that's set for other cases.

Lee'Marion was in a vehicle on Windmill Road in December last year when shots were fired. He was struck by a bullet and later died in hospital. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.

In an interview, Justice Minister Brad Johns said he hopes increasing the award amount expedites the investigation into Lee'Marion's homicide.

"Lee'Marion was shot Dec. 21, four days before Christmas," said Johns. "I have two daughters myself and there doesn't seem to be anything coming forward on this. He was eight years old, so I just wanted to move this forward and and see if we could get some movement on it." 

This is the first time the reward, under the Department of Justice's Rewards for Major Unsolved Crimes Program, has increased the reward maximum.

Johns said the increase in the amount was, in part, inspired by the unique nature of the case, as children are rarely the victims of gun violence in the province.

Investigations believe there may be people that have information in relation to Lee'Marion's death.

Anyone with information is being asked to call the rewards program. Officials say contact information must be provided by people who come forward and they may be called to testify in court.