Northern BC Murder Suspects Recorded a Video Before Suicide: Report
Credit to Author: Mack Lamoureux| Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2019 15:47:27 +0000
Two teenagers suspected in a spree of northern BC killings reportedly filmed a video that appears to be a “last will and testament” and final goodbye to their families before the suspects killed themselves.
Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, are suspected of killing Australian tourist Lucas Fowler, his American girlfriend Chynna Deese, and botanist Leonard Dyck in July.
McLeod and Schmegelsky apparently recorded the video message on a phone before taking their own lives in northern Manitoba. The Star Vancouver reports that the RCMP showed family members about 30 seconds of the video. According to the Star, McLeod and Schmegelsky detailed their wishes for their remains. It was a goodbye, and a “last will and testament,” a family member who did not see the video firsthand told the Star.
A member of the family did not respond to VICE’s attempt to confirm the existence of the video. The RCMP declined to comment on whether the video exists.
On July 15, the bodies of Fowler, 23, and Deese, 24, were found in a ditch off the Alaska Highway. Less than a week later, police discovered the red truck and camper McLeod and Schmegelsky were travelling in on fire.
The discovery of the teens’ truck led to RCMP finding the body of Dyck, 64, a retired botanist who lectured at the University of British Columbia. Police have not released Dyck’s cause of death but did confirm it was a homicide and McLeod and Schmegelsky received second-degree murder charges in connection to his death.
After the killings, it was believed McLeod and Shmegelsky travelled westward in a Rav 4 until reaching the small far northern Manitoba town of Gillam. On July 22, the Rav 4 was also found burned, which prompted a massive manhunt in the area. Police sent a deluge of officers and resources to the area and swept the rough terrain.
About a week later, a local tour guide spotted a sleeping bag in a river and contacted police. This led to the discovery of a broken aluminum boat and eventually to the two bodies near Gillam on August 7. An autopsy found the pair appeared to have shot themselves.
A motive or reasoning for the killings has not been released but RCMP are promising to update the families and the public as their investigation continues.
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