The other murder trial that the jury in the Pat Stay case never heard about
The feud between the Melvin and Marriott families in Halifax has a long and violent history, with murders, kidnappings, and gun battles spanning over decades. The recent trials of Adam Drake shed light on the ongoing conflict between these two crime families.
In the 2016 murder trial of Tyler Keizer, it was revealed that Drake was the accused killer. The Crown’s key witness, Morgan Harrington, testified that Keizer was shot because he and another man had beaten up an inmate while in prison. Harrington, who had a criminal history involving drugs and violence, was promised a reward and charges against him were erased in exchange for his testimony against Drake.
The killing of Keizer, described as an execution-style murder, was just one incident in the long-standing feud between the Melvin and Marriott families. Both families have been involved in Halifax’s drug trade for generations, leading to violent confrontations and retaliations.
One particularly notorious incident was the 2008 shooting at the IWK children’s hospital, where gunmen targeted Jason Hallett, who had ties to the Melvin family. The feuding families have been involved in numerous violent acts, including kidnappings, murders, and gun battles in public places.
Members of both families, including Jimmy Melvin Jr. and Brian James Marriott, have been declared dangerous offenders due to their extensive criminal histories. Melvin was acquitted of Marriott’s murder in 2017 but was later convicted of attempted murder in a separate case. Marriott, known as B.J., was convicted of aggravated assault in 2019 and designated as a dangerous offender in 2024.
The ongoing conflict between the Melvin and Marriott families has left a trail of violence and tragedy in its wake, with no end in sight. The trials of Adam Drake shed light on the dark underbelly of Halifax’s criminal underworld, where loyalty and revenge fuel a cycle of violence that shows no signs of abating.
