Remains of Esther Jones Found Two Years After Bible College Murder in Nova Scotia

RCMP found the remains of 55-year-old Esther Jones on Sept. 9 in a wooded area near Cloud Lake, NS. Dale Toole has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Niece speaks out after remains of murdered Nova Scotia woman recovered

The remains of Esther Jones, a 55-year-old piano teacher killed at a bible college in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley in 2024, have been located by police, CBC.ca reports. RCMP announced in a news release Friday that members of the major crime unit found her remains on September 9 in a wooded area at Cloud Lake, approximately 12 kilometres south of where she was killed.

Her niece, Esther Uhlman — who was named after her aunt — said the discovery has left the family with mixed emotions. "I'm very glad to know where her remains were and to know that they have been recovered, but it doesn't change anything," Uhlman said Friday from Ottawa. "Finding a body that she no longer is in it doesn't make it better... I don't believe that it provides closure, not for me personally."

A guilty plea and an agreed statement of facts

Earlier this month, a Nova Scotia man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with Jones's death. An agreed statement of facts from Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Kentville said Dale Toole admitted to entering the Kingston Bible College in Kingston, N.S. — where Jones leased a room and operated a music studio — on August 31, 2024, and causing her death. He then "removed her body from the college and disposed of it."

The statement does not specify a motive for the killing. It notes that Toole indicated he did not know Jones personally but "knew of her by virtue of living in a small town."

Toole was originally charged with first-degree murder in September 2024, after being located by American authorities at an airport in Texas while attempting to flee to Mexico. Uhlman confirmed that Toole is a member of her extended family — her father's ex-brother-in-law — though he had no personal relationship with Jones.

Family left without answers

Uhlman, 22, said police have not informed the family about how Jones died, any possible motive, the precise location of the remains, or how investigators came to know where they were. The Cloud Lake Wilderness Area is a place Uhlman said she knows well, having camped there as a child.

"The fact that he left her remains there is very unfortunate because a place that was kind of an enjoyable, comforting place will kind of be a little dark now," she said.

RCMP declined an interview request on Friday. In the news release, Cpl. Mike Robinson said the Mounties are grateful for the family and community support throughout the investigation. "The dedication and perseverance of the investigative team, together with the support of our policing partners, were instrumental in advancing this investigation," Robinson said. "We hope this recovery provides answers to outstanding questions and helps bring a measure of closure and healing to those closest to Esther."

Sentencing ahead

Second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence. A judge will determine how long Toole must serve before he becomes eligible to apply for parole, a period that ranges from 10 to 25 years. Toole is scheduled to return to court in Kentville on October 16 for a status update and to set a sentencing date.

Remembering Esther Jones

Uhlman described her aunt as a compassionate person who consistently helped others, loved animals, and was passionate about her faith and music throughout her career as a piano teacher.

Uhlman said she carries her aunt's kindness into her own life but struggles with what happened. "I would like to highlight to people that have never experienced this how much of a life sentence it is and how much you just don't get to move past it," she said. "It's not like a normal loss. You never get to really move on from it because you constantly have to deal with it — in the court system and every day."

She added: "Just remember how important it is to value the people around you. You never know when they're going to be gone."

Source: Google News JM — Kingston