4 people charged in 2022 murder of Nova Scotia man

The victim of a homicide in Springfield, N.S., is being remembered as a proud father and great older brother as police charge multiple people in connection with his death.

Barry Albert, also known as Barry Mosher, was reported missing to Lunenburg RCMP on Aug. 28, 2022. The 47-year-old's body was found Oct. 8, 2022, at a property on Hastings Road in Springfield, situated in the centre of western Nova Scotia between Middleton and Bridgewater. 

This week, police announced three people are facing first-degree murder charges and another is facing a charge of accessory after the fact in Barry's death.

Multiple police forces — including RCMP, Bridgewater Police Service and Halifax Regional Police — were involved in the arrests, which were carried out Sunday and Monday.

Derrick Robar, 32; Kris Buttar, 44; and Alan Rankin, 43, have been charged with first-degree murder. A fourth accused, William Zinck, 25, has been charged with accessory after the fact.

Though police have deemed Barry's death a homicide, they have not said how he was killed because the investigation is still active.

'Somebody stole my brother from me'

All of the accused remained in custody and were scheduled to appear Wednesday in Annapolis Royal provincial court.

Police said based on the evidence they have gathered, additional arrests and charges are expected.

Melissa Carroll, Barry's sister, told CBC News she learned of the charges on Monday. She said her brother always looked out for her.

"When I was in my teens, he went out West and he promised me when he came back that he would never leave me again," Carroll said.

"And when he was killed, I was like, he promised he'd never leave me, and he didn't ... Somebody stole my brother from me."

Carroll said Barry was a great father to his three adult sons, whom he loved "more than anything in this world."

She described her brother as the glue that kept the family together. The family was torn apart when they learned Barry was killed, she said.

"We're slowly building it back together, but it's never going to be the same without Barry."

Charges 'the start of something good'

When Carroll got married last August, one of Barry's sons held a portrait of him so that he could be a part of the big day. Carroll's best friend made the bouquets for the wedding, including a special one in Barry's honour.

"There was blue dragonflies flying all around," said Carroll. "It was pretty amazing, like it made me think that Barry was actually there."

Terry Mosher, Barry's brother, said it's been a daily struggle since the homicide.

"I couldn't get a normal night sleep without seeing my brother's face," he said, adding that the arrests and charges have helped release some of the anger he's held on to for nearly two years.

"It's still there, it'll always be there ... it is almost like, not closure, but the start of something good."

He said Barry was a great teacher who taught him about things like surviving in the woods and how to light a fire. The brothers loved baseball and could frequently be found playing the sport together. 

'I lost my best friend'

Mosher said his brother was also an "awesome uncle" to his own kids. He said the world lost a great person.

"I lost my best friend. I lost my weirdo. I lost the only person I could ever be me around is what I lost," said Mosher. "And when you lose somebody like that, you never get that back."