Post by : Meena
Hassan
Manitoba is set to commence a significant search at the Brady Road landfill in Winnipeg on Monday, aiming to uncover the remains of two First Nations women believed to have been victims of separate serial offenders. Teams involved in the operation have undergone specialized training, gearing up for a challenging and sensitive mission.
This initial phase will primarily concentrate on Ashlee Shingoose, one of four women murdered in 2022 by Jeremy Skibicki, currently serving a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years without parole. Throughout Skibicki's trial, Shingoose was not identified and was referred to by the Indigenous community as Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe—Buffalo Woman. After the verdict, investigators confirmed her identity through discussions with Skibicki and DNA analysis, revealing that her remains were most likely disposed of in the Brady Road landfill.
Following the completion of the search for Shingoose, the province plans to embark on locating Tanya Nepinak, who has been missing since September 2011. She left her home on September 13, stating she was going for pizza, and never returned. Authorities believe Shawn Lamb, convicted in other homicide cases, may be involved in her case. For years, investigators have suspected that her remains might be interred within the landfill.
To assist with the upcoming mission, the province had previously conducted a test phase in August, excavating a small area and employing ground-penetrating radar to evaluate underground conditions. This effort has helped to refine the search area and identify the necessary equipment and techniques.
This renewed search follows the successful recovery of the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran at the Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg earlier this year, both victims of Skibicki. Their deaths, alongside that of Rebecca Contois, whose partial remains were identified at Brady Road in 2022, constituted key evidence in the case against Skibicki. The evidence presented indicated that he selectively targeted women in precarious situations, disposing of their bodies in garbage bins that were later transported to landfill sites.
While the provincial government has refrained from commenting before the search's commencement, it has previously assured that every reasonable step will be taken to aid families in finding their loved ones. For the families of Shingoose and Nepinak, this renewed effort evokes a complex mix of hope and heartache, coupled with the potential for long-awaited answers. No specific timeline for the operation has been released, although the extensive preparations hint at a meticulous and well-organized search.
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