Canada murder suspects, New CCTV Footage Released (UPDATE).
Canadian police have released new CCTV footage of the two teen suspects in the Canada highway triple slayings as it was revealed overnight that they may have fled the search zone with the help of an unsuspecting stranger.
Lifelong friends Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, are accused of going on a murderous rampage which claimed the lives of Australian Lucas Fowler, 23 and his American girlfriend Chynna Deese, 24, who were gunned down on a lonely road in British Columbia last week. Canadian man Leonard Dyck, 64, was also murdered a few hundred kilometres away on the notorious stretch.
As a major manhunt ramps up in the wilderness, police released CCTV of the pair from Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, on July 21.
“We are releasing this video as it may generate additional tips or sightings,” authorities said.
It is critical that all Canadians remain on the lookout for Kam McLeod & Bryer Schmegelsky. If seen, do not approach, call 911 or local police immediately. https://t.co/vBjHaJbT26
— RCMP Manitoba (@rcmpmb)
Since Tuesday, the village of Gillam near Hudson Bay in the country’s north has been on the alert for the pair. The fugitives are believed to have wound up in the area, after an epic 3200km chase across three provinces that began in British Columbia, on the Pacific coast, where their three victims were discovered earlier this month.
SWAT teams, tactical assault vehicles, drones, helicopters and sniffer dogs have descended on the remote town and appeared to be closing in on the teens but there are now fears they may have already left the area. Police consider the Canadian teens to be armed and dangerous and have warned the population not to approach them if spotted.
In a statement today, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said McLeod and Schmegelsky “may have changed their appearance and inadvertently been given assistance to leave the area by someone that was not aware of who they were”.
“If anyone out there is hesitant to come forward — it is crucial for you call police immediately,” the statement continued.
“To restate, there have been no confirmed sightings outside of the Gillam area, however we remain open to the possibility.”
RCMP spokeswoman Julie Courchaine said “investigators will conduct door-to-door canvases in the town of Gillam in hopes of generating new tips” over the next 72 hours.
Chynna Deese’s brother British Deese told news.com.au the ordeal was taking a huge toll on his family.
Mr Deese said his family was “worn out” trying to come to terms with the tragic loss of his sister.
“We didn’t expect that this would get to much international attention but it’s oddly comforting to have the world mourning with you,” Mr Deese said.
The hunt for the killers moved to Gillam after police confirmed another two sightings of the suspects in the area.
The development came as a shock to many Gillam locals, who are so used to living in a safe community that many don’t even lock their doors.
One local woman said the community was “freaking out”.
“We’re not used to this — nobody locks their door,” she told CBC.
Another local, Mario Catalano who managed a fuel service company in town, told the media that some people had even resorted to sleeping with their guns.
“Everybody in the community is, I guess I wouldn’t say paranoid … [but] nervous, scared,” he said.
“I’ve heard people are sleeping with their guns close.”
Local stores, bars and restaurants have reportedly been closing early so no one has to walk home in the dark.
A former classmate of one of the teenagers revealed Schmegelsky allegedly has history of making disturbing and violent comments.
Madison Hempsted, who shared a class with Schmegelsky when they were both 13, revealed to Global News that he had a habit of making some very disturbing comments.
The teen claimed she and her friends didn’t speak with Schmegelsky very often but when they did he would allegedly turn the conversation towards different methods of murder.
