Accused in Lunenburg County homicide has lengthy criminal history

A 40-year-old Blockhouse, N.S., man charged with first-degree murder has a long history of drug offences and has done time in federal prison.

Arthur Abdul Mosher is accused of killing Josh Veinotte, 49, whose body wasfound July 26 in the Lunenburg County community of Parkdale, about 25 kilometres northwest of Blockhouse.

The case was in Bridgewater provincial court this week, and has been adjourned until Oct. 25.

Mosher, who remains in custody, has a lengthy criminal history. Parole records show it began at a young age and includes numerous drug possession and trafficking charges, and multiple breaches of court orders.

He last served time in a federal prison on charges stemming from a 2016 police search of a home in Mahone Bay, N.S. Officers found a marijuana grow-op and roughly $35,000 of stolen property, including two aluminum trailers, beer kegs and plywood, according to parole records.

Mosher was granted day parole in 2018, butofficials grew suspicious after he was spotted pacing back and forth in the parking lot of his halfway house while on his cellphone, and texting at "all hours of the night."

Denied accusations of drug connections

His parole officer examined the phone and found texts that suggested he was possibly trying to collect on drug debts by getting people to drop money off with his mother, according to a parole decision.

Mosher denied any drug connections, but later tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine. His parole was revoked in 2018, and he was ordered to abide by a curfew and other conditions when he was later granted statutory release after serving two-thirds of his sentence.

During previous stints in provincial jail, Mosher was accused of smuggling drugs, tobacco and needles, using threatening language with corrections staff and fighting, according to parole records.

In January, he was handed a suspended sentence, 18 months of probation and fined for several cocaine and methamphetamine possession charges and a number of weapons offences.

Police have released few details in the killing of Veinotte, but first-degree murder typically means theybelieve the crime was planned and deliberate.

Mosher was arrested on Aug. 24 after RCMP issued a provincewide warrant.