Search Commences at Canadian Landfill for Remains of Serial Killer’s Victims

In the Canadian province of Manitoba, search teams have commenced excavation at a local landfill in pursuit of the remains of two Indigenous women. This marks a pivotal stage in the effort to locate the bodies of Marcedes Myran, 26, and Morgan Harris, 39, occurring nearly two years after their families were informed of their deaths. Both women were murdered in 2022 by an individual currently serving a life sentence for their killings and the deaths of two other women. Initially, Manitoba officials had declined to undertake the landfill search, citing concerns over its substantial cost and potential health risks to search personnel. A prolonged campaign advocating for the search for the women’s bodies was spearheaded by Indigenous leaders and the victims’ families. The bodies of the two women are believed to have been deposited at the Prairie Green Landfill, situated north of the city of Winnipeg, following their murders. Serial killer Jeremy Skibicki received a conviction last July for these murders, alongside the killings of a third woman, Rebecca Contois, 24, and an unidentified woman known as Buffalo Woman. All of his victims were Indigenous. Their murders remained undiscovered for several months until partial human remains, identified as belonging to Ms. Contois, were found by a man collecting scrap metal from a bin outside Skibicki’s apartment. Skibicki subsequently confessed to killing Ms. Myran, Ms. Harris, and Buffalo Woman during police interviews. While some of Ms. Contois’s remains were located in another local landfill, the remains of the other three victims have yet to be found. Last year, Wab Kinew, the province’s newly elected premier, committed C$20 million ($14.25 million; £11.26 million) towards the search for the remains. These funds were matched by the federal government. On Monday, Kinew announced that the most recent phase of the search commenced that morning, after crews successfully identified a specific area within the landfill where the remains are most likely situated. Kinew stated in an update to the media, “We found some items which indicate that we are in the right date range and time.” These items include flyers and milk cartons bearing dates from the spring of 2022. A dedicated search facility has been constructed on site. It features a substantial, heated steel structure designed for the meticulous sifting of excavated waste. Approximately 45 individuals have been employed for the search, which is anticipated to continue for several months. Crews are required to wear multiple layers of protective equipment to safeguard against hazards such as asbestos and other risks. The premier reported visiting the site on Monday with the families of Ms. Myran and Ms. Harris, where they observed the arrival of the first truckload of excavated landfill material at the facility. He remarked, “It is an intense emotion that you feel standing on that site with those families.” The premier expressed his hope that the search will ultimately provide closure for the families. He concluded, “No matter what lies ahead, we can say we tried.”