Two Thunder Bay Men Charged with Second-Degree Murder After Cumming Street Death
THUNDER BAY — Two Thunder Bay men have been charged with second-degree murder after police responding to a reported assault found a deceased person in the Cumming Street area late Saturday night.
Major Crime Unit Investigation Leads to Arrests
Thunder Bay Police Service officers were called to the area at about 11 p.m. on July 18.
Police said members of the Primary Response Unit found a deceased individual after arriving at the scene. The Major Crime Unit took over the investigation and identified two suspects, who were subsequently arrested.
Steven Rafferty, 29, and Warnock Rafferty, 61, both of Thunder Bay, have each been charged with second-degree murder.
Both accused appeared in court and were remanded into custody. Police did not identify the deceased or release information about the person’s age, the cause of death or the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault.
What a Second-Degree Murder Charge Means
Section 229 of the Criminal Code defines murder as culpable homicide in circumstances that include intentionally causing death or intentionally causing bodily harm that a person knows is likely to cause death while being reckless about whether death occurs.
Under section 231, murder is classified as either first- or second-degree murder. First-degree murder generally includes a killing that is planned and deliberate, along with several other circumstances specifically identified in the Criminal Code. Section 231(7) states that murder that is not first-degree murder is second-degree murder.
The specific allegations against each accused have not been tested in court. The laying of a charge does not establish guilt.
Potential Sentence Following a Conviction
Second-degree murder is an indictable offence carrying a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment upon conviction under section 235 of the Criminal Code.
For most people convicted of second-degree murder, the sentencing judge sets parole ineligibility at between 10 and 25 years. A person with a previous murder conviction would generally be ineligible for parole for 25 years.
Parole eligibility does not mean an offender is automatically released. The Parole Board of Canada must decide whether conditional release can be safely granted, and a life sentence continues even when parole is approved.
Presumption of Innocence
Steven Rafferty and Warnock Rafferty are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The investigation and court proceedings remain at an early stage. Additional information may be released as the case moves through the justice system.
The best current count is seven homicide charges in Thunder Bay in 2026, as of July 20.
That provisional total includes deaths connected to:
- Hendrick Walinga, whose death was announced in January after an October 2025 assault;
- an 81-year-old assisted-living resident who died Feb. 18;
- Corey Patrick Russon, who died Feb. 23;
- the March 1 Hall Place homicide;
- an April death resulting in a manslaughter charge;
- Kelsey Anderson, whose death resulted in a June manslaughter charge; and
- the July 18 Cumming Street death, for which two men face second-degree murder charges.
Summary: Two Thunder Bay men face murder charges after a death in the Cumming Street area.
