In the quiet, early morning hours in the Portland Hills subdivision of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, a violent intrusion shattered the peace and ended a life. The victim was Kevin Sean Farren, a 61-year-old man found inside his home on Havenbrook Hill. More than a decade later, his murder remains unsolved, leaving a family without answers and a community with the memory of a brutal and unresolved crime.
On Friday, March 9, 2012, at about 2:25 a.m., Halifax Regional Police received a call reporting a break-and-enter in progress. When officers arrived at the residence, they discovered Kevin deceased inside. The scene told a grim story, and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service would later conduct an autopsy and officially rule his death a homicide.
The specific details of how he was killed have not been released by investigators, who have remained guarded about the evidence they collected from the home.
The investigation into Kevin's murder was launched immediately by what is now the Special Investigation Section of the Integrated Criminal Investigation Division. From the beginning, police have expressed their belief that people in the community hold key information that could solve the case. In a public appeal made years after the crime, Superintendent Jim Perrin, then officer-in-charge of the division, stated, "One of the main obstacles we face in unsolved homicides is a lack of co-operation from people who know what happened." He added that investigators were certain there were individuals who had knowledge of Kevin's homicide.
To encourage those people to come forward, Kevin's case was added to the Nova Scotia Department of Justice Rewards for Major Unsolved Crimes Program in April 2015. The program offers a significant financial incentive—a cash reward of up to $150,000—for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the crime. "If anyone has information about Kevin's death, no matter how small it may seem, I urge them to come forward," said Justice Minister Lena Metlege Diab at the time the reward was announced. "We need the public's help to bring this case to a close. His family deserves answers."
As the years passed, the case remained active but without a public breakthrough. On the tenth anniversary of the murder in March 2022, the Halifax Regional Police issued a renewed appeal for information. They reiterated their belief that even a minor detail could be the crucial piece needed to advance the investigation. "We are asking anyone with information to do the right thing and come forward with what they know; even the smallest piece of information could be the key to progressing the investigation into Kevin’s murder," police stated in their release.
Investigators have not publicly named any suspects or persons of interest, nor have they discussed a potential motive for the deadly home invasion. The questions of who broke into Kevin Farren's home that night and why they killed him remain unanswered, a persistent source of pain for those he left behind. The case stands as a stark reminder that behind every unsolved crime file is a human story cut short and a family left waiting for justice.
As of March 2022, the investigation into the homicide of Kevin Farren is still open and active. The Government of the Province of Nova Scotia continues to offer the reward of up to $150,000. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Rewards for Major Unsolved Crimes Program at 1-888-710-9090. Callers must provide their name and contact information and may be required to testify in court.
