Halifax murder suspect has checkered past

A man wanted for a Halifax-area killing is a mixed martial arts fighter with a checkered past, CBC News has learned.

Halifax Regional Police issued a warrant for 38-year-old Steven Skinner on Monday.  Skinner remains at large, but has been charged with second-degree murder over the death of Stacey Adams.

Adams, 20, was found shot dead  in front of a new home in a Lake Echo neighbourhood in April. The house was one of five on a dirt street and was rented at the time.

Skinner is a mixed martial arts fighter from Dartmouth who has fought professionally five times.

It's believed Skinner was at a home in Lake Echo when Adams and a friend arrived. Shots were fired and Adams was killed.

Skinner also faces criminal charges over an incident two years ago. He is accused of going with a Toronto man to the home of a 66-year-old man in Lower Sackville. Skinner and his friend allegedly had an issue with the man's son. 

Hot spoons and knives were used to burn parts of the older man's body. 

Skinner was released from jail in 2009 on $50,000 bail in that case, ahead of his 2012 trial.

In 2006, two clothing stores owned by Skinner were firebombed within an hour of each other. One of the men charged with arson in the fires was Cory Melvin, the younger brother of Halifax crime figure Jimmy Melvin Jr. 

Police describe Skinner as five-foot-eleven and weighing close to 200 pounds, with several tattoos.

Anyone with information on Skinner is asked to call police or Crimestoppers.