Paul Reid Livingstone was a 58-year-old retired telephone linesman living a quiet life in a rural area near Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. A former employee of Bell Aliant, he was known by neighbors in the community of Montague Gold Mines. In the weeks leading up to his death, he had been going through a period of personal change, having recently separated from his wife. Friends said he may have been associating with a different circle of people in the last couple of years of his life.
The calm of his life was shattered just after midnight on Saturday, August 13, 2011. Police received a call and responded to Livingstone’s residence at 945 Montague Road. Inside the home, they made a grim discovery: Paul Livingstone was dead. Another person who lived at the address had found his body. An autopsy performed the following day confirmed the tragic reality that he had been the victim of a homicide.
The cause of death was a gunshot wound.
The investigation was immediately taken over by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Integrated Major Crime Unit, with forensic identification officers processing the scene for evidence. From the outset, investigators stated they did not believe the murder was a random act of violence. His death marked the 13th homicide in the Halifax Regional Municipality that year.
A few days into the investigation, the RCMP appealed to the public for help in identifying two specific persons of interest. They revealed they were looking for a man and a woman, estimated to be in their late 50s or early 60s, who had been seen at Livingstone’s home on the morning of Friday, August 12, the day before his body was found. The couple was seen leaving the residence in a beige or brown vehicle. Police provided descriptions: the woman was about five-foot-four with brown, curly hair that was greying on the sides, and the man was described as five-foot-ten with no facial hair and possibly wearing glasses. An RCMP spokesperson stated, "Police believe they just may have some information to share that could help with the investigation."
A neighbor, Wayne Osborne, expressed his shock to reporters, calling the situation a mystery. "Kinda upset about it. Very upsetting. Especially where he was a friend and everything," he said. While police remained tight-lipped about a motive, neighbors and a former co-worker speculated about various possibilities, but no official theory was ever released by law enforcement.
Years have passed, but the murder of Paul Livingstone remains unsolved. The case is still active and is listed on the Halifax Regional Police's roster of major unsolved cases. Investigators continue to seek the missing pieces that could bring closure to Livingstone's loved ones and deliver justice.
The case is part of the Nova Scotia Department of Justice Rewards for Major Unsolved Crimes Program. This program offers a cash reward of up to $150,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Paul Livingstone's death. Police urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. Information can be shared with the Halifax Regional Police at 902-490-5016.
