Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 59 Number • Issue 3211
Friday, March 16, 2018 Friday, August 9, 2019
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Search for B.C. murder suspects comes to a close after two bodies discovered near Gillam BY KYLE DARBYSON
KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
After two-and-a-half nerve-racking weeks, Manitoba RCMP finally called off the nationwide manhunt for Kam Mcleod and Bryer Schmegelsky Aug. 7 after officers discovered a pair of corpses near the shoreline of the Nelson River. During an afternoon press conference in Winnipeg, Assistant Commissioner Jane MacLatchy, commanding officer of the Manitoba RCMP, said they are confident these bodies belong to the two Port Alberni teens connected to three recent homicides in northern B.C. An autopsy is scheduled for sometime this week to confirm the pair’s identity and the cause of their death. Even though the suspects haven’t been officially seen since July 22, MacLatchy said her officers never gave up in their search by following-up on every lead and using every available resource. She said the RCMP finally caught a break Aug. 2 when they located items directly
linked to the suspects on the shoreline of the Nelson River near Gillam and Fox Lake Cree Nation. From there, specialized RCMP officers were able to narrow the search area and scour higher probability areas. At approximately 10 a.m. on Wednesday, they stumbled upon two corpses in the dense brush one kilometre away from where these items were found. “To the families of everyone affected by the series of events over the last few weeks, I know it has been so very difficult and I hope today’s announcement can begin to bring some closure,” said MacLatchy. Even though the active manhunt in that area has been scaling down as of late, Gillam and Fox Lake Cree Nation remained a pivotal part of the ongoing investigation since the suspects’ burned Toyota Rav 4 was discovered near these communities July 22. The RCMP even deployed a diving team to search the Nelson River over the Au-
ities like Gillam, Fox Lake Cree Nation, War Lake First Nation and York Landing for helping them with this ongoing investigation. “Your lives have been disrupted, many of you lived with uncertainty and fear,” she said. “But throughout, you were resilient, you came together as communities and you helped our officers get the job done.” Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee also commended the tireless efforts of volunteer community patrol teams like the Bear Clan and offered his support to northern residents who are still reeling from this experience. “Today’s news is a first step in helping Northern First Nations to feel a renewed sense of safety,” he said in an Aug. 7 press release. “It may take some time for people to recover from the trauma caused by this lengthy manhunt. MKO will continue to support our Northern First Nations with the healing work that needs to be done in the weeks and months to come.”
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill Nickel Belt News photo courtesy of RCMP Manitoba RCMP called off the manhunt for Kam Mcleod and Bryer Schmegelsky after discovering a pair of bodies near the Nelson River Aug. 7. gust long weekend after they found a damaged, aluminum boat on its shores. While police still aren’t completely sure how all these pieces fit together, they still believe that McLeod and Schmegelsky are responsible for killing University of British Columbia lecturer Leonard Dyck and tourists Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese. Fowler and Deese were
found dead on the Alaska Highway in B.C. July 15. Four days later, Dyck’s body was discovered south of Dease Lake, B.C., two kilometres away from a burntout truck that the suspects were driving. On Aug. 1, Fowler’s family held a funeral for the homicide victim in his native Australia. Deese, Fowler’s American girlfriend, was buried in her home state of
North Carolina July 27. Authorities initially began searching for McLeod and Schmegelsky as missing persons but declared the two teens were being investigated as suspects in these deaths after they were spotted in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan July 21. MacLatchy wrapped up her press conference on Wednesday by thanking various northern commun-
Five northern athletes representing Team Manitoba at Western Canada Summer Games Thompson track star and Cross Lake wrestling team competing in amateur sporting event BY KYLE DARBYSON
KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Over 1,700 athletes, coaches and officials are gearing up for the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games, which is taking place in Swift Current, Saskatchewan Aug. Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham 9-18. Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. Five of these athletes originate from Northern Mani- to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather toba and will represent their to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET province events Thoughin she’s nowranging written when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it from canoeing/kayaking to a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would wrestling to track field. her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the ces growing up in and Churchill, “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to ChurchThompson resident Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. Sheldin Howard is of the North - Life in Churchill for Manitoba northernone director She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I north’sdeMeulles biggest prospects for a couple ofNickel Gisele said writreasons. as courtesy a storyteller herself. simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the Belt News photo of RDPC athletics on a bomb.’” this year’s having she just Sheldin ing wasn’tgames, something “I justHoward sort of(middle) thought, had such a varied only hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even file though Nickel Belt News photo had R.D.“IParker Collegiate’s won a gold and silver medal you always thought she would know what, this his-hightory andtrack I would tell people was the boat in veryand dangerous and This Crossher Lakeonwrestling teamsame took home halfanother a dozenarea medals,they’re four silver two bronze, two podium finishes at the school provincials in spurred in senior boys’ discus and tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson do. from the 2018 Manitoba Winter Games in Thompson. The team’s next major stop is the Winnipeg June 6-8, including the championship in senior shot put,my respectively, “In youth I during never head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go 2019 Western Canada Summer Games, where athletes Heidi Halcrow, Kassia Ross and boys’ discus. the most high school felt goodrecent at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations have the option to do that? back home, standing on the Michelle Omand will be competing for Team Manitoba. in north provincials. said. “But when I moved experienced.” ‘You didn’tWinter do allGames that, did said. “My kids are not go- Manitoba of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on The recent R.D. Parker Thompson. Omand and Haltold to Nickel Belt ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really Summer ground where amateur ath- the in Grade then after to Howard Thompson get into “It usedGames’ to be aofficial really feeling like they’re pawns bay, it10, justbut gives you an graduate went on crow away with thriving News that he’s looking for- Collegiate website, Flett also a rela- in letes get to prepare for future a while I started love it.” the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve alold.’ Ieven was walked like, ‘No, actually largeiscommunity a political game and that’s incredible sense.to You feel so say wanted that’s he’s to some fact tive ward testing newcomer to thisdown sport national international Altogether, Maniat thattopoint I hadhis to skills write to ways myhoping mom to I did medals all thatdespite beforethe I was and it’s just dwindled really sad and for them because I small and you Team feel great.” beatMy hismom’s personal throw that they had been against athletesand whorealized, possess do. andsuch this scale of competition sporting is sending over 300 for university anbest elder and 27,’ and they went wrestling ‘What?’” to a small population think theevents. people of Church- toba Now that she’s got both put (11.6 less thanback, a year at that superiorI’m speed in general. set-up is perfect for one athletes, aged 13-20, par‘Holy, not and badstrength, at this, for she’s anshot artist, she’smetres) got so forLooking deMeulles says. book under hertobelt, some of now,” ill This really want to thrive. discus (35.5 metres). since competition pulls and Before year, competitor in 19 sports right?’this I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- point. those experiences are things Thoughthis she’s notFlett’s there a They’ve builtlike theirHoward, worlds ticipate deMeulles says shethroughmay try Cross Lake is hoping to she Rounding group any from pool than cause is only other experience in there. who is How looking for every op- to outproduce the duration of the 2019 a lot aoflarger skilltalent in university she always tells her might notout dothis again. longer, her parents and would we feel another. with northern athletes Mario her he’s came used to. a major event is if portunity to came develop his track and out of there with make storiesan at impression Parks Canada in of “I did some prettyisbizarre sistersporting and other family someone to you and Western “I haveCanada anotherSummer book in its wrestling team, which Flett from St. Theresa Point, “The age limit is 20 years at skills now sorry, that he’s graduated a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the playing said, ‘I’m you have to Games. me,” she says. “It’s a darker members14U still basketball are. Heidi Halcrow, representing old and and I’m not 18,” 2017cousin North owns American Theymore will about be competing writing confieven dence in consists houndedofher, ‘Please, just who high is Arctic at -35,”Team said the“My the from leave high your school. home community story, personMichelle in “It the didn’t canoe/kayak he said. “Usually in very high Kassia Indigenousstore Games. “I’m happy thattoI displace have the al against teams from Alberta, my writing. I write put it onRoss tape,and I will write it Manitoba deMeulles. dawn hardware there,” she and we’re going growth and struggles. school provincials I’m the Omand. Luckily, the Western Can- you opportunity to continue with Saskatchewan, clear and that’s it. It’s there. for you because your story event. on me until after. That was a says. somewhere else and all Maybe in the nextNorthwest five years All three oflost,’ theseand athletes According to thing his athlete biggest one, say so it’s differSummer Games he said. Some people it’s kind of is going to be she’s very dangerous to do. ada Because of primarthat, track,” your loved ones“My andcoach your Territories, it’s somethingYukon I’ll focusand on competed 2018 Being bio onon thea Western ent from what I’ve actually ily bills itself as it a training was kindisofgone?’” forcing me at first doing.” Nunavut. blunt or direct. I don’t tend never doneduring it and Ithe thought, plane fullCanada of fuel deMeulles finds hard to history