Body of cabbie positively identified: RCMP

A body found last week outside Dartmouth is that of a cab driver who disappeared in January, Nova Scotia RCMP confirmed Sunday.

Sergei Kostin, 40, took a call on Jan. 17 and was never seen again. His burnt-out car was later found on the outskirts of Dartmouth.

RCMP aren't saying how Kostin died.

Last week, they discovered the body about a kilometre from where Kostin's cab was found in January. 

RCMP said he was a victim of a homicide. The forensic identification team had to do tests to determine the identity.

Kostin, a driver for Bob's Taxi for about 10 years, picked up his last fare on Gaston Road in Dartmouth. A burnt-out car matching the description of Kostin's green Chevrolet Impala was found a few days later in North Preston.

Kostin had no family in the Halifax area, but his wife and other relatives are in his native Ukraine.

Halifax cab drivers calling on city for more protection

Taxi driver Tony Gharios worked with Kostin and described him as a friendly man who spent a lot of time reading in his car.

"He was a nice guy. A very nice guy," said Gharios. "I didn't hear any complaints about him, so that's what scares me."

Gharios said the murder has left him, and other drivers, afraid on the job.   Another driver said the regional municipality should do something to protect taxi drivers such as installing dividers that would prevent attackers from reaching to the front seat. He added the dividers are expensive, costing about $1,200 each.