The manhunt for two suspects in three BC murders has ended with RCMP believing they found their bodies on the shores of the Nelson River.
18 year-old Bryer Schmegelsky and 19 year-old Kam McLeod were first believed to be missing persons, but soon after investigators said they were wanted in the death of a Vancouver professor as well as a Australian man and American woman.
Federal Minister for Public Safety Ralph Goodale said this has been a difficult and complicated case.
“You you consider the territory that’s involved here from the original scenes of crime in Northern British Columbia to the manhunt search in northern Manitoba, that would be the equivalent of essentially traveling from London to Moscow.”
Goodale said at this time he doesn’t know how much this search will cost.
“What Canadians expect is that their policing and security services will do what they need to do to investigate crime and to make sure that appropriate consequences follow,” Goodale said. “And that does come with a cost.”
Goodale said he wouldn’t change anything in the investigation, adding the RCMP acted as professional as can be.
“They have conducted themselves in a very exemplary manner in dealing with what was dealing with an extraordinarily difficult challenge,” Goodale said. “Considering the vast distance that was involved, (and) the remote and inhospitable nature of the terrain that they had to cover.”
An autopsy is taking place to prove their identities, as well as confirming cause of death. Those results could be released as early as Thursday. However, RCMP is confident the remains found belong to the wanted suspects.
