The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in New Brunswick have charged a man with first-degree murder in the death of his 16-year-old cousin.

Police charged Curtis Bonnell, 29, on Tuesday after a massive investigation into Hilary Bonnell's death. Her body was discovered in a remote area last month. She had been missing since September.

At a news conference Wednesday in Tracadie-Sheila, Inspector Roch Fortin alleged that Bonnell acted alone.

“The investigation has been complex and we have had RCMP members literally working around the clock since we first received the call that Hilary was missing,” he said. “The support from Hilary's family and from the people of the First Nation of Burnt Church has been appreciated.”

Inspector Fortin declined to release Ms. Bonnell's cause of death, saying that was now a matter before the courts. The teen lived on the Esgenoopetitj First Nation, which is also known as Burnt Church.