Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced that the manhunt for two teenagers accused of killing three people ended with the discovery of their bodies.
“The search is over. At 10am this morning, Manitoba RCMP officers located the bodies of two males, believed to be the BC suspects, near the shoreline of the Nelson River (approx 8km from the burnt vehicle)” read the first tweet from the RCMP.
Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, were accused of three murders. They disappeared after the killings, triggering a manhunt across sparsely-populated and remote wilderness areas of Manitoba.
The search is over. At 10am this morning, Manitoba RCMP officers located the bodies of two males, believed to be the BC suspects, near the shoreline of the Nelson River (approx 8km from the burnt vehicle). #rcmpmb pic.twitter.com/tZ7EBFsNDr
— RCMP Manitoba (@rcmpmb) August 7, 2019
The bodies of Chynna Deese, 24, and her boyfriend, Lucas Fowler, 23, were discovered shot dead near a broken-down van along the Alaska Highway in a remote part of British Columbia on July 15. On July 19, about 470 kilometers away, authorities then responded to reports of a vehicle fire and, in the process, discovered a third body about two kilometers from the burning truck.
“Our officers knew we needed just one piece of evidence to move the search forward & on Friday, August 2nd, the items found on the shoreline of the Nelson River & directly linked to the suspects, enables officers to narrow down the search,” another tweet read. “Specialized RCMP teams begin searching nearby high-probability areas, leading officers to the discovery of the two male bodies, in the dense brush, within 1 km from where the items were found.”
Specialized RCMP teams begin searching nearby high-probability areas, leading officers to the discovery of the two male bodies, in the dense brush, within 1 km from where the items were found. #rcmpmb
— RCMP Manitoba (@rcmpmb) August 7, 2019
Assistant Commissioner Jane MacLatchy of the Manitoba RCMP said the bodies were found in the brush in a “very dense place.” She said an autopsy will be held to confirm the teens’ identities and determine their cause of death.
“At this time, we believe these are the bodies of the two suspects wanted in connection with the homicides in British Columbia,” she told reporters Wednesday. “To the families of everyone affected by this series of event over the last few weeks, I know it has been so very difficult and I hope today’s announcement can bring some closure.”
Deese and Fowler were sightseeing in Canada’s national parks with the goal of driving to Alaska. Their bodies were located near a blue 1986 Chevrolet van with Alberta plates. The third victim was Leonard Dyck, a botanist.
