Steven Laffin

Case record: Steven Laffin

Status and sentencing

Steven Laffin was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 13 years on April 24, 2013.

The Crown prosecutors and Laffin’s defence lawyer made a joint recommendation that he serve at least 13 years in prison before being eligible to apply for parole.

Laffin received credit for time served, and he was scheduled to be eligible to apply for parole in October 2023.

Justice Felix Cacchione ordered Laffin to undergo a psychiatric assessment to be considered by the parole board upon his release.

Laffin apologized to Taylor’s family in Nova Scotia Supreme Court, but Justice Felix Cacchione questioned his remorse, and the judge added that he did not believe Laffin would be released from prison anytime soon.

Justice Felix Cacchione said:

"You're either a psychopath or you have serious psychopathic tendencies,"
"It is clear that you have serious underlying issues that must be addressed before you are released."

Laffin pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Nadine Taylor.

Timeline

• July 2010 — Nadine Taylor vanished after she left her Halifax apartment to use a pay phone.
• August 16, 2010 — A woman escaped from the trunk of Laffin’s moving car on Old Sambro Road in Halifax after being sexually assaulted and attacked.
• October 4, 2010 — Laffin appeared in court charged with second-degree murder in the death of Nadine Taylor; he was also described as an “articulate and respectful” man when he appeared before a judge in 2007, per court documents.
• October 2010 — Laffin became a suspect in Taylor’s death after he was charged in connection with the kidnapping case.
• Late October 2010 — Laffin pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault, uttering threats and unlawful confinement in connection with the kidnapping case.
• January 16, 2012 — A preliminary inquiry opened for Laffin, charged with second-degree murder in the disappearance of a Halifax woman.
• January 18, 2012 — A preliminary inquiry for Laffin took a break until late next week.
• February — The Crown said a scheduled “attempted murder” charge would be formally withdrawn when Laffin was sentenced in February.
• March 7, 2013 — Laffin pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Nadine Taylor.
• April 25, 2013 — Laffin was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 13 years for the murder of Nadine Taylor.
• April 24, 2013 — Laffin’s sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole for 13 years was recorded.
• October 2023 — Laffin was to be eligible to apply for parole.

The offence: murder of Nadine Taylor

Steven Laffin was sentenced to life in prison for the killing of Nadine Taylor.

The court heard Laffin lured Taylor to his home and murdered her the night his fiancée was away at her stagette.

Taylor disappeared after she left her Halifax apartment to use a pay phone in July 2010.

The night Taylor disappeared was described as being just a couple of days before Laffin was to marry Joanna Swinemar, and at the time his wife-to-be was out of town attending her stagette.

Swinemar called Laffin that night and he told her he was tired and was staying home.

During Laffin’s preliminary hearing, testimony was heard from Laffin’s now ex-wife that Laffin brought Taylor to their Dartmouth home, and testimony included that blood spatter was found all over the basement of that home.

To explain the blood, Laffin told Swinemar he had been mugged in the driveway and that he went down the basement to clean up so as not to mess up the rest of the house.

Because they were getting married and expected guests, Laffin persuaded Swinemar to help him clean the house, and they scrubbed it down, though police were still able to gather samples for trial.

Police searched the house for seven days, gathering evidence they thought they would have to use at trial.

The week before Laffin pleaded guilty, he led police to Taylor’s body, concealed in the woods near a highway in East Chezzetcook.

At the time of charges, police said they did not expect to ever find her body, but later police found remains believed to be those of Taylor and investigators worked with a medical examiner’s office to complete the forensic side.

Police finished processing the scene where human remains believed to belong to Nadine Anne Taylor were found, and RCMP Cpl. Scott MacRae said:

"This morning the major crime investigators and the forensic team have completed their work at a scene just off of the East Chezzetcook Road near Highway 107. They finished recovering what we believe to be the remains of Nadine Taylor and [are] still working with the medical examiner`s office to complete the forensic side,"

The offence: kidnapping and attack on another sex worker (Old Sambro Road incident)

Laffin was also sentenced to nine years in prison for kidnapping, aggravated assault, uttering threats and unlawful confinement in connection with an August 2010 incident involving another sex worker.

A woman escaped from the trunk of Laffin’s moving car on Old Sambro Road in Halifax on Aug. 16, 2010.

The woman’s identity was protected by a publication ban.

The woman said Laffin grabbed her throat and choked her until she was unconscious, and when she regained consciousness her mouth was covered with duct tape and her ankles and wrists were bound.

The woman said she was sexually assaulted, and that Laffin threatened to kill her, and she said Laffin slammed her face into the ground.

The woman said she was stuffed into the trunk of Laffin’s car but managed to escape and run to a nearby house to call 911.

The court heard that Laffin’s sentence for these charges was to be served concurrently with the life sentence for Taylor’s murder.

CTVnews.ca also described that his sentence would be served concurrently to the life sentence, and that the victim said:

“I am going to make sure he does not get out on parole, some how, some way,”
“He does not deserve to walk these streets.”

CBC News quoted the woman as saying:

“Even for him to apologize just made it a lot different. I never expected that,”

CBC News also quoted the woman describing her recovery and views on trust:

“I'm a recovering addict. I've been doing a lot better with the drugs. I don't trust anybody anymore. I don't help anybody anymore,"

Investigation and discovery of remains

Police led by Laffin searched a wooded spot in East Chezzetcook and found Taylor’s remains, which were believed to be those of Taylor.

Police charged Laffin with Taylor’s murder in October 2010.

The preliminary inquiry evidence heard during the inquiry was banned from publication to protect Laffin’s right to a fair trial.

RCMP Cpl. Scott MacRae stated police had completed their forensic work at a scene just off the East Chezzetcook Road near Highway 107 and were still working with the medical examiner’s office.

Arrest, detention and procedural history

Laffin was held at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth.

Laffin was scheduled to stand trial before a Supreme Court judge and jury on five charges, including attempted murder, but the Crown said the attempted murder charge would be formally withdrawn when Laffin was sentenced in February.

The charge of aggravated sexual assault was amended to aggravated assault.

Plea and parole eligibility recommendation

Laffin pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in March 2013.

Crown prosecutor Rick Woodburn said:

“We’re jointly going to recommend 13 years,”
and also said: “The range for these types of things is 13 to 15 years.”

Crown prosecutor Susan MacKay said:

“We look at all of the facts, including the usual range for second-degree murder, all of the particular circumstances of this case, and the level of cooperation, if any, of the defendant,”

CCTVnews.ca recorded the Crown and defence joint recommendation as at least 13 years before eligibility to apply for parole.

CCTVnews.ca also stated that Laffin would be eligible to apply for parole in October 2023.

CBC News stated that because Laffin had been in custody since Oct. 29, 2010, he would be eligible to apply for parole in 10 1/2 years.

Victim impact and statements

Donna Taylor, Nadine’s mother, described sleepless nights and needing therapy.

Donna Taylor gave a victim impact statement that included:

“My daughter Nadine was my precious dolly girl, she was pretty, funny, loved people and animals. She would never turn anyone away that needed help or food,”
“There are many precious moments and times that I will never share with my daughter Nadine. I know that every special occasion or event that I would have shared with her has been shattered as a result of her being murdered.”

Taylor’s aunt said:

“This was after he attempted to clean up the house,”
and also said: “I can hear her crying for help in my head and I couldn’t be there,”
and: “That pain in my heart just won’t go away.”

Taylor’s mother also said:

“Every special occasion or event that I would have shared with her has been shattered as a result of her being murdered.”

Laffin turned to face Taylor’s family in the gallery and spoke in court for the first time.

Laffin said:

“I'd just like to first apologize,”
“I know saying 'I'm sorry' won't do anything and won't bring Nadine back. But I am sorry for the pain that I have done.”

Other details

Persons

• Steven Laffin (Dartmouth man; also described as 38 years old in the sentencing accounts).
• Nadine Taylor (Halifax sex worker; aged 29).
• Joanna Swinemar (Laffin’s fiancée/wife-to-be).
• Donna Taylor (Nadine Taylor’s mother).
• Cecil Taylor (Nadine Taylor’s father).
• Laffin’s wife, described as his now ex-wife, provided testimony during the preliminary hearing.
• RCMP Cpl. Scott MacRae (police officer quoted about forensic work).
• Justice Felix Cacchione (judge who sentenced Laffin).
• Crown attorney Rick Woodburn (quoted on parole recommendation and on the homicide being “clear, brutal homicide”).
• Crown prosecutor Susan MacKay (quoted on sentencing factors).
• Laffin’s defence lawyer (described as making a joint recommendation with the Crown).

Evidence description and home cleanup

CCTVnews.ca recorded that weeks after Taylor disappeared, Taylor’s family heard police found large blood stains in the basement of Laffin’s home.

CCTVnews.ca included Crown attorney Rick Woodburn’s characterization of the homicide:

“There was still lots of blood left everywhere. There was blood on the murder weapons, blood on the walls, blood all over the floor. It was a clear, brutal homicide.”

CCTVnews.ca also described that the family heard about police findings “after he attempted to clean up the house.”

Prior criminal history mentioned in court documents

Court documents described that in 2006 Laffin pleaded guilty to attempted robbery after he went into a convenience store in Halifax with a knife and demanded money, and he received a two-year conditional sentence.

Court documents also described that in the next year Laffin appeared before Judge Jamie Campbell in Halifax provincial court to have terms of his house arrest amended.

The documents recorded that Judge Jamie Campbell wrote that Laffin did not match the stereotypical image of a robber, that he had a “dignified carriage,” and that he wore “carefully chosen business suits.”

The documents recorded that the judge wrote about Laffin losing his job on a cruise ship, and then coming home to discover that his wife had emptied the family bank account, leaving him with “no marriage, no money and no job.”

The documents recorded that after he received the conditional sentence, Laffin made a “concerted effort to become reintegrated into the community” and began working at a Tim Hortons.

The documents included Judge Jamie Campbell writing:

"He works more than regular hours. He has been promoted to a supervisory position. He has money saved and is paying off his debts. Apparently he has not lost his work ethic. He could have taken a very different approach,"
"He has apparently, through work and dedication, committed himself to reestablishing his life. It is in society's best interest that he be encouraged in that endeavour."

Proceedings and dates

• A preliminary inquiry for Laffin was held in Halifax provincial court in January 2012 and was scheduled to wrap up by Jan. 30, as part of a schedule involving six days, with additional days originally booked and on standby.
• Judge Anne Derrick presided over the preliminary inquiry in Halifax provincial court.
• The inquiry continued with testimony from forensic identification officers.
• A security scare occurred Tuesday during the preliminary inquiry when a female spectator made a trigger motion with her hand as she walked past Laffin, who was seated on the prisoners bench; there were no incidents Wednesday.
• Donna Taylor said on her way out of court that she didn’t want to talk about her daughter except to say that she was “poor, disadvantaged and helpless.”
• Donna Taylor was quoted as saying:

“He looks like a demon,”

Other descriptions of the case

CBC News described Laffin as being called a “psychopath” in murder sentencing.

CCTVnews.ca included that Laffin led police to Taylor’s remains in a wooded area of East Chezzetcook, N.S. and that large blood stains were found in the basement of Laffin’s home.

CTVnews.ca stated that Laffin pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder in the death of Nadine Taylor.

CTVnews.ca stated that Taylor’s disappearance was in July 2010 after she left her Halifax apartment to use a pay phone because she didn’t have a phone of her own.

CBC News stated that Taylor disappeared in July 2010 after leaving her Halifax home to make a call from a payphone because she didn’t have a phone of her own.

Publications and identity restrictions

The identity of the victim in the kidnapping and attack case was banned from publication, and Stepping Stone’s head provided comment in court about vulnerabilities faced by sex workers.

Sex-trade context and community statement

The court heard from the head of Stepping Stone, an organization that provides outreach services to sex workers.

Rene Ross, executive director of Stepping Stone, said:

“Nadine was a beautiful force of energy.”

Rene Ross said:

“There's been 19 sex workers since 1985 who have been missing or murdered in Halifax, and that’s just our region alone,”

Rene Ross also said:

“She says it’s important to remember sex workers are people too.”