Lionel Desmond inquiry back underway on Monday

The hearings began in January 2020 and has heard numerous witness testimonies

CityNews Halifax Staff

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The fatality inquiry looking into the deaths of Lionel Desmond and his family resumes on Monday.

The hearings began in January 2020 and has heard numerous witness testimonies during that time.

An expert on domestic violence said earlier this month a lack of collaboration among health-care professionals was an “overwhelming theme” in the tragic case of the former Afghan war veteran who killed three family members and himself in 2017 in Upper Big Tracadie.

Before he left the military in 2015, he participated in four years of therapy, during which he repeatedly said he wanted to be a better father and husband

Dr. Peter Jaffe told the provincial inquiry Desmond had contact with 40 mental health professionals from the time he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder while still serving in the military in 2011 until his final days in 2017.

He went on to submit eight recommendations to the inquiry, including a call for expanded education on domestic violence for front-line professionals.

The inquiry is expected to draw to a close before the end of the year.

With files from The Canadian Press