Woman charged with manslaughter in 2024 death of man at Dartmouth encampment
Kiara Marie Organ, 22, has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the December 2024 death of Jeffrey Alexander Emmerson, 56, at a homeless encampment on Geary Street in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The charge follows a medical examiner's ruling that the death was a homicide.
A 22-year-old woman has been charged with manslaughter in relation to the death of a 56-year-old man found in a tent at a homeless encampment in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
Kiara Marie Organ faces charges in connection with the death of Jeffrey Alexander Emmerson, who was discovered dead on Dec. 26, 2024, at an encampment on Geary Street. Organ was arraigned in Dartmouth provincial court on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026.
Police initially responded to a report of an assault involving Emmerson and a woman at the Geary Street location on Dec. 22, 2024. During that initial response, Emmerson declined both paramedic assistance and police involvement. Four days later, he was found dead in his tent.
The Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service ruled the death a homicide in June 2025 following an autopsy. This determination led to the arrest and charging of Organ nearly two years after the incident.
In addition to the manslaughter charge, Organ faces other allegations including theft, possession of stolen property, resisting arrest, and sexual assault. She was previously sentenced to two years in federal custody for robbery and assault related to an incident on Dec. 23, 2021.
Organ is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 27, 2026, for election and plea.
The Geary Street site where the incident occurred had been part of the municipality’s designated outdoor sheltering locations. At the time of the death, it was one of five such sites in the municipality. In July 2020, the Halifax region had officially designated nine temporary encampments, including the Geary Street site. By 2025, the municipality confirmed plans to de-designate the Geary Street encampment, giving residents until June to move.