5 charged with murder in death of Quinte West teen

CBC
·1 min read
Ontario Provincial Police say four people are in custody on first-degree murder charges and an arrest warrant has been issued for a fifth person following the death of a 17-year-old whose body was found at a Quinte West, Ont., motel. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press - image credit)
Ontario Provincial Police say four people are in custody on first-degree murder charges and an arrest warrant has been issued for a fifth person following the death of a 17-year-old whose body was found at a Quinte West, Ont., motel. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press - image credit)

  • UPDATE | OPP said on Feb. 1 that Khadijah Courneyea had been arrested late on the afternoon of Jan. 31.

Five people have been charged with first-degree murder after the body of a teen was found at a Quinte West, Ont., motel earlier this month.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say their officers were conducting a wellness check at the Dundas Street E. motel on the morning of Jan. 7 when they found someone dead inside the building.

Nine days later, OPP identified the victim as 17-year-old Kiean Stoddard from Quinte West.

In an update Wednesday, police said they had arrested four people and charged them each with first-degree murder:

  • Morgan Belyea, 22, from Belleville, Ont.

  • Steven Courneyea, 26, from Belleville.

  • Harold Russell, 43, from Quinte West.

  • Aaron Ryan, 27, from Quinte West.

OPP have also issued an arrest warrant for first-degree murder for a fifth person, 29-year-old Khadijah Courneyea, also from Quinte West.

Police say they're seeking doorbell camera or dashcam video taken near 276 Dundas St. E. on the evening of Jan. 3, four days before Stoddard's body was found.

Anyone with information can call Quinte West OPP or Crime Stoppers.