David Malcolm Ward
Born: October 23, 1940 in Sackville, N.B.
Married: January 25, 1964 in Dorchester, N.B.
Died: January 7, 1966 near Hampton, N.B.

David Malcolm Ward began his career with the Department of Natural Resources in Sussex where he lived. At the time of his death he was 25 years old and employed with the Royal Forest Products Ltd. in Penobsquis, N.B. His training included the scaling of logs (an occupation in the timber industry where a scaler measures the cut trees to determine the scale (volume) and quality (grade) of the wood to be used for manufacturing. When logs are sold, in order to determine the basis for a sale price in a standard way, the logs are “scaled” which means they are measured, identified as to species, and deductions for defects assigned to produce a net volume of merchantable wood.)

On January 7, 1966 David Malcolm Ward was brutally assaulted with what was described as a blunt instrument after an argument in the Cambridge area of New Brunswick. He later died in an ambulance on his way to the hospital. This incident was investigated by the Sussex RCMP and the Gagetown RCMP jointly and a 28 year old male was taken into custody. David Malcolm Ward died in the ambulance near Hampton, N.B. as the result of the injuries he received. **

On January 10, 1966 the suspect in this case was charged with non-capital murder where he appeared before a magistrate of the Queens County Court and was remanded to custody. He made no plea in this matter and the case was set over until January 14, 1966. 

On March 2, 1966 the accused was brought back to court where there was a preliminary hearing held to determine if the was sufficient evidence to proceed with a trial. The Judge deemed that there was enough evidence to proceed with trial and the next court date was set for March 22, 1966. 

On April 19, 1966 a jury selection process was commenced and over the next two days a judge and jury trial was held. The accused was convicted of lesser and included charge of manslaughter and the jury deliberated for 43 minutes before rendering that decision. 

In 1970, according to sources I was in contact with, an unnamed lake was then named Dave Ward Lake in honour of David Ward.