Jason Wayne MacRae charged with murder of Paula Gallant in Halifax

Jason Wayne MacRae has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Paula Gallant.

Supt. Darrell S. Beaton, Officer-in-Charge, Halifax District RCMP:

This case began on December 27th, 2005, when Paula Gallant was reported missing at 10:14 in the evening. Her car was located by a family member just before midnight, parked outside Beechville-Lakeside-Timberlea Elementary School, where Paula Gallant was a grade three art teacher. Her body was located in the trunk of the car shortly after midnight.

Throughout this entire process, our focus has always been on solving this homicide, and working to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

Jason Wayne MacRae has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Paula Gallant. MacRae will be appearing in Halifax Provincial Court today to answer to that charge.

We understand how difficult this process has been for Paula Gallant’s family, and we want to thank them for their patience, understanding and support throughout this entire investigation. We also want to thank both the public and the media for their continued assistance and support. We cannot overemphasize the importance of community involvement when it comes to solving crimes, especially complex, multi-year investigations like this one.

This is an excellent example of how integrated policing allows both our agencies to work together, share best practices, and draw on our individual strengths in an effort to bring those responsible for these crimes to justice.

Chief Frank Beazley, Halifax Regional Police:

The RCMP/HRP Integrated Major Crime Unit has worked tirelessly on this case for over four and a half years. An investigation of this magnitude requires a significant investment of both time and resources in order to reach a successful conclusion. In that sense, we are very pleased with the outcome here today.

We extend our thanks to our staff who have diligently pursued this case since its inception. It has involved many investigators over the years.

Each officer’s professionalism, dedication and tenacity played a role in getting us where we are today. This investigation shows how persistence, cooperation and determination can yield positive results when it comes to unsolved cases.