Teenage boy now facing 1st-degree murder in death of 65-year-old Mount Pearl woman: RNC

A year after a teenage boy was accused of second-degree murder, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has announced it's upgraded his charge.

In August2023, a 14-year-old boy who cannot be named due to his age was accused of killing a 65-year-old woman in Mount Pearl. He was initially charged with second-degree murder.

"However, given additional investigation, the charge has now been upgraded to first-degree murder," said the RNC in a Thursday morning news release.

It added the boy will appear in court at an unspecified date.

Police have said the victim and accused knew each other but have not disclosed the nature of their relationship.

The teen has not yet stood trial,but in April Crown prosecutors Diedre Badcock and Holly Holm said they intended to seek an adult sentence for the accused.

The Youth Criminal Justice Act allows people as young as 14 to be sentenced as adults. While the maximum youth sentence for murder is 10 years, an adult sentence can come with life imprisonment.

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