Preliminary inquiry set for man charged with murder in Dartmouth homicide

A 33-year-old St. Margarets Bay, N.S., man will have a preliminary inquiry next June on a charge of second-degree murder.

Nicholas Roland Rhyno was charged in the death of Zachery Jordell Charles Grosse, 25, in October.

Police were called to 24 Primrose St. early on the evening of Oct. 22 to a report of an injured person in front of the building. Grosse was taken to hospital where he died of his injuries the next day. The medical examiner determined that Grosse's death was a homicide.

Rhyno was arrested five days later and he remains in custody, although he has a bail hearing scheduled for January.

Rhyno was a member of the Marriott crime family that in one point engaged in a violent gang war for control of the city's drug trade.

According to documents from the Parole Board of Canada, Rhyno's criminal history dates back to 2006 and includes multiple convictions for drug trafficking, various weapons offences and failures to comply with conditions.

The board noted in 2009 that Rhyno was accused of attempting to kill three men, but charges were withdrawn when the alleged victims refused to co-operate with the investigation.

"File information indicates that you have a low tolerance for frustration, poor anger management skills and are quick to act aggressively; you use weapons for intimidation and manipulation," the board wrote.

The board noted Rhyno's violent behaviour continued while he was behind bars and included assaults on other inmates, aggressive behaviour toward staff and possession of drugs, weapons and contraband.

In June 2012, police issued a warning after Rhyno failed to return to a halfway house where he'd been on parole for drug and weapons offences.

At the time, police described Rhyno as armed and dangerous. He eventually turned himself in to police.

The preliminary hearing on the murder charge is set for five days in June.