Police identify homicide victim

Halifax Regional Police have identified the victimof Saturday night's homicide in Dartmouth.

Keya Knita Simon, 19, of Halifax, and her 32-year-old sister were stabbed during a fight at a party on Pinecrest Drive that was attended by 25 to 30 people, police said Monday.

The victim's body was found inside the front door of an apartment building at 117 Pinecrest Dr. after police were called to the scene at about 11:20 p.m. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said the party was hosted by Simon's sister. During the party, a group of people known to the victims entered.

A fight spilled out onto the front lawn of the apartment building and led to the stabbing, police said.

The victim's sister has been released from hospital.

Police said a man they are calling a person of interest in the case turned himself into police last night. Mason Borden was arrested on an unrelated outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court.

He was scheduled to appear in provincial court in Dartmouth Monday in relation to that warrant.

Dartmouth patrol officers have located the Mercedes Benz investigators were looking for in relation to the homicide. It was found Sunday night on Paul David Court off Caledonia Road and seized by police. Forensic investigators were processing the vehicle Monday.

A woman, who lives upstairs from the apartment where the stabbings happened, spoke to CBC News on the condition that she not be identified.

"I heard a few young girlsyelling the name of the victim on the floor, and people running through the building and trying to call 911. I came back and called 911 myself," the woman said.

"I heard them yelling, 'Try to stay awake, get her a glass of water.' She was not responsive, I guess. I saw her body afterwards and she wasn't responsive."

Investigators are interested in speaking with anyone who was at the party.

"We are asking anybody that was at the party, whether they witnessed the incident or not, to come forward. We do believe that there's a number of individuals who have significant information about this homicide, and we're asking them to contact our investigators," Halifax Police spokesman Const. Brian Palmeter said.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police at 490-5016 or anonymously through CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca.