Resources are being pulled back in the search for a pair of wanted men suspected to be in northern Manitoba.
Some assistance from other detachments and from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) will be leaving the area where 19-year-old Kam McLeod and 18-year-old Bryer Schmegelsky were last seen.
“Over the next week, the RCMP will begin to scale down the scope of our search efforts in northern Manitoba. This will include the phased withdrawal of the majority of specialized RCMP and RCAF personnel and assets over the coming week,” said Manitoba RCMP assistant commissioner Jane MacLatchy in a news conference Wednesday.
While resources will be pulled away from the search, MacLatchy did say the search was not ending.
“A number of tactical resources and specialized assets will remain positioned in the Gillam area and will continue the efforts to locate the murder suspects. In addition, all of our resources will be ready to respond to the region as required should new information emerge,” she said.
“I know that today's news is not what the families of the victims and the communities of Northern Manitoba wanted to hear, but when searching for people in vast, remote and rugged locations, it's always a possibility that they're not going to be immediately located. The terrain in northern Manitoba is immense, it's unforgiving and the weather is often very unpredictable.”
McLeod and Schmegelsky are wanted in connection to the murders of American Chynna Deese, Australian Lucas Fowler and Vancouver university lecturer Leonard Dyck in northern British Columbia. The two suspects have already been charged in Dyck’s death.
RCAF resources will be available for search purposes if deemed necessary by investigators. RCMP are also looking into the possibility that the two suspects may have received assistance or a ride away from the search area from a member of the public, unaware that the two were fugitives.
“This of course is still an area of consideration for the RCMP. We continue to encourage the public to be on the lookout for these two suspects and to continue to submit tips. Something that may seem insignificant to you may be extremely valuable to our investigators,” MacLatchy said.
One of the last major pieces of evidence found in the case was a vehicle was found burned near Fox Lake Cree Nation July 23, about 40 kilometres away from Gillam. The vehicle, a Toyota RAV4, was determined by RCMP to be the vehicle used by McLeod and Schmegelsky.
One sighting was reported by a constable working with Tataskweyak Cree Nation, who said he had seen the suspects driving through a checkstop near Split Lake July 22. Another sighting, reported by a member of the Winnipeg Bear Clan, led police to the community of York Landing July 28. A series of searches of the area turned up no trace of the suspects.
RCMP resources committed to the search have included frontline and tactical officers, police dogs, forensic identification specialists and major crime investigators. A plane with infrared search capabilities was also brought into the search.
MacLatchy said that assets from the RCAF and RCMP searched around 11,000 square kilometres and canvassed more than 500 homes and abandoned buildings in Gillam and Fox Lake Cree Nation. Rail lines, hydro outbuildings, bodies of water and tundra and forested areas were also searched.
“We conducted exhaustive searches on foot, with dogs and with all terrain vehicles. We used boats on lakes and search from the air with drones, helicopters and planes. We used some of the most advanced technologies available and have received assistance from some of the most highly skilled search and rescue personnel in the country,” said MacLatchy.
“In addition, over 250 tips were received and followed up on the RCMP and RCAF personnel have logged thousands of hours working 24/7 during this search for the suspects. However, even with this extraordinary effort, we have not had any confirmed sightings of the suspects since the burn vehicle was located.”
