Four men are charged with first-degree murder, while an arrest warrant has been issued for a fifth, in connection with the death of a Saint John man.

Evan Louis Tobias is wanted for first-degree murder in the death of Justin Breau, police said Friday.

Breau, 39, was stabbed in a Charles Street home last August and died from his injuries in the hospital.

“Do not approach the accused,” police said in a news release issued Friday morning.

Tobias is described as 6’0″ tall with a medium build, black curly hair and brown eyes. He has a tattoo on his left cheek and another tattoo above his right eye.

During a news conference Friday afternoon, Staff Sgt. Sean Rocca of the Saint John Police Force was asked if police knew where Tobias might be.

“The Saint John Police has a vast network of intelligence in the community and we are actively following up on leads based on intelligence we are receiving,” Rocca told reporters.

Rocca urged anyone who knows where Tobias might be to contact the Saint John Police Force at 506-648-3333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Several other arrests made this week

Four other men were taken into custody earlier this week in connection with Breau’s death and later charged with first-degree murder.

Charles William Shatford, 47, was arrested Tuesday and made his first court appearance Wednesday. He was remanded into custody and is scheduled to return to court on Thursday.

Donald Robert Walker, 30, and Dustin Walker-Hammond, 24, were arrested Wednesday and appeared in court Thursday. They were remanded into custody until their next court appearance on Feb. 10.

Travis Earl Boudreau, 33, was taken into custody Thursday afternoon and appeared in court Friday. He was also remanded into custody with another court date set for Feb. 10.

“In order to protect the integrity of the investigation and not prejudice any future court proceedings, I can’t release any details as it relates to the relationship to the accused and anyone else,” said Rocca.

Rocca would also not say whether any more arrests are possible, citing the ongoing investigation.

Staff Sgt. Sean Rocca, a spokesperson for the Saint John Police Force, answers questions from reporters on Jan. 27, 2023. Image: Brad Perry

Details about Breau’s death

According to police, three masked men wearing dark clothing forced their way into an apartment on Charles Street just before 4 p.m. on Aug. 17, 2022.

Investigators said Breau was stabbed inside the apartment and was later pronounced dead in the hospital.

The suspects fled the scene on foot and were last seen heading toward Garden Street, police said at the time.

Rocca acknowledged potential “confusion” as to why five people are now facing charges when police initially alleged that three people were involved in Breau’s death.

“Unfortunately, I can’t provide any clarity at this point because releasing those details may compromise the integrity of the investigation,” he said.

“What I can say to you is that the Major Crime Unit has, over the course of five months, developed reasonable and probable grounds to arrest all of the five individuals.”

In 2020, Breau was acquitted of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Mark Shatford on the city’s west side the previous year.

When asked if the stabbing and that verdict might be related, police said in August that they could not confirm that information at that time.

Police said they could also not yet confirm whether Breau had been targeted or if the incident was a random act.