Saint John man once acquitted of murder becomes homicide victim

Saint John police are investigating the homicide of 39-year-old Justin David Breau, who in 2020 was acquitted of murder himself.

On Wednesday just before 4 p.m., officers were dispatched to a residence on Charles Street after a report of a stabbing, police said in a news release.

Three masked men in dark clothing forced their way into an apartment, where Breau was stabbed, the release said.

The three men then fled on foot toward Garden Street, and no one has been arrested.

Breau was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said they are searching the areas of Garden, Charles, Coburg and Hazen streets near the uptown, and traffic may be diverted.

In December 2020, Breau was found not guilty in the 2019 shooting death of Mark Shatford on the west side of the city.

He had been charged with second-degree murder and admitted shooting Shatford but said he did it in self-defence after trying to rob him. Breau's lawyer called the shooting "a drug ripoff gone badly wrong," and Breau walked out of court a free man.