Halifax police have identified a homicide victim as Troy Edward William Clayton, a 59-year-old man with a history of violence. Clayton was previously sentenced to six years in prison for the 2017 manslaughter of Benjamin Lokeny, whom he killed with a single punch.

The Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service confirmed Clayton's identity following an autopsy. Police spokesperson Const. Martin Cromwell stated that authorities do not believe the incident was random.

Investigators are seeking dashcam footage from Gottingen Street, between Charles Street and Uniacke Street, recorded between 11 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. on November 26. Anyone with information or video is encouraged to contact the police at 902-490-5020. The police have expressed their condolences to Clayton's family.

Cromwell noted that the investigation is in its early stages and that there is currently no information regarding a possible motive for Clayton's death. He also mentioned that police are still gathering witness statements and are not ready to disclose details about how Clayton died.

In January 2023, a parole decision revealed that Clayton had punched Lokeny, causing him to fall and hit his head on the sidewalk. Lokeny succumbed to his injuries a month later, with blunt force trauma to the head listed as the cause of death. Clayton claimed Lokeny had provoked him before the incident.

Clayton was not arrested until March 2019, and he was released on parole in January 2023. During his parole hearing, he described himself as a "nasty drunk" and acknowledged a pattern of violent behavior when intoxicated. His criminal record spans over three decades, with 76 prior convictions, including multiple assaults and other offenses.

The parole board noted that more than half of Clayton's convictions were related to failures to comply with court orders, while others included property crimes, drug offenses, and impaired driving. The judge who sentenced him for manslaughter considered his guilty plea and the absence of weapons as mitigating factors, but highlighted his extensive criminal history and alcoholism as aggravating factors.

Clayton's history of violence included several assaults against intimate partners and incidents involving threats to police. His criminal behavior continued even after his initial conviction, with 14 additional convictions between Lokeny's death and Clayton's arrest for that crime.

As the investigation into Clayton's death continues, police are working to uncover the circumstances surrounding this latest incident.