Police are scaling down the scope of their search in northern Manitoba for two teens wanted for three murders in northern B.C.
Jane MacLatchy, assistant commissioner and commanding officer for the Manitoba RCMP, said Wednesday (July 31) that despite an "extraordinary effort" to find Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky, it's time to reassess how the force is deploying its resources in the search.
Over the next week, specialized RCMP and Canadian air force investigators will be pulled from the search, while some frontline and tactical officers will remain in the area to continue the scaled-down search.
Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, are suspects in the murders of Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese on the Alaska Highway, and the death of a man on Highway 37 near Dease Lake. (via B.C. RCMP)"To be clear, we are not ending this search," MacLatchy said.
Over the last nine days, police and military have logged thousands of hours in what has been a 24-7 search effort, MacLatchy said. Investigators chased nearly 300 tips, canvassed more than 500 homes, and searched 11,000 square kilometres of northern Manitoba wilderness by foot and air.
The military remains on standby to help, if and when needed, as do other RCMP resources, MacLatchy said.
McLeod, 19, and Schmegelsky, 18, are wanted on Canada-wide arrest warrants for the murder of Leonard Dyck, a university professor, near Dease Lake on July 19.
They are also suspects in the fatal shootings of Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese, both international tourists, near Liard Hot Springs on July 15.
They were last seen July 22 in Gillam, where they torched and abandoned the vehicle they were last seen driving.
MacLatchy could not speak to reports on social media that the pair were spotted in Ontario. She also didn't rule out that they had long fled the area, or are dead.
"Everything is possible at this stage," MacLatchy said. "The north part of the province is a very unforgiving place. We're keeping all possibilities in mind."
MacLatchy encouraged Canadians to be remain on alert, and encouraged the public to keep submitting tips.
"Something that might seem insignificant to you may be extremely valuable to our investigators," she said.
