City of Winnipeg considers search of landfill that may contain remains of 2 women

WARNING: This story contains distressing details.

The chair of Winnipeg's police board says officials are trying to find a way to conduct what he calls a meaningful search for the bodies of two First Nations women believed to be in a landfill north of the city.

The police board met on Thursday evening with police Chief Danny Smyth and senior police inspectors to discuss the calls to search the Prairie Green landfill in the rural municipality of Rosser.

"We're also going to consult with industry experts, whether it's forensic anthropologists, whether it's waste management experts, whether it's excavating experts," St. Norbert-Seine River Coun. Markus Chambers, the police board chair, told CBC News on Friday.

Any search of that landfill would be beyond the expertise of the Winnipeg Police Service because it would involve excavation, he said.

He added that a search would be "humanitarian," rather than to contribute to any evidence gathering for police.

Smyth said last week that he believes the remains of two women allegedly killed by Jeremy Skibicki are in the privately operated landfill north of the city, but that a search wouldn't be feasible at this point.

That ignited calls from First Nations advocacy groups and family members for Smyth to resign.

Police chief says he won't step down

Smyth said in a statement on Friday that he won't resign.

"One of my duties as the chief of police is to ensure that thorough investigations are conducted that gather evidence to hold criminal offenders to account," Smyth said in a written statement.

"To that end, I have performed my duties to the best of my ability."

Smyth said he remains "committed to securing a criminal conviction for these heinous crimes."

"I will not be resigning," his statement concluded.

Read Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth's full statement here: 

Although police have said a search of the landfill isn't feasible, Smyth said he will work with whomever the mayor appoints to further scrutinize the possibility of finding the women's bodies.

Chambers said companies with expertise are approaching the city with offers to help, and the city is consulting with all levels of government to discuss next steps.

"Anything is possible. It does take resources," he said.

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said in an interview on Friday that he's had conversations with federal Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller about the possibility of accessing funding to help in a search of the landfill.

Skibicki was charged last week with first-degree murder in the deaths of Marcedes Myran, Morgan Harris and a third woman, whom community members have named Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, or Buffalo Woman, because police do not know her identity.

He was initially charged in May with first-degree murder in the death of Rebecca Contois, 24, another First Nations woman living in Winnipeg. Her remains were found near Skibicki's home and at the city's Brady Road landfill.

While police don't yet know where Buffalo Woman's remains are, they believe Harris's and Myran's are at Prairie Green, just north of the Perimeter Highway.

Killings go to 'core of our soul as a city': mayor

As for the calls for Smyth's resignation, Gillingham said in an interview on Friday that is not his focus right now.

"I still have confidence in Chief Smyth. I think what's very important in this moment ... now that operations at the landfill are paused, there's opportunity right now for conversation, for listening," he said.

Gillingham and Premier Heather Stefanson announced earlier on Thursday that Prairie Green has paused its operations, with no new materials to be added to the site.

That halt will continue "until next steps can be determined," Gillingham told Markusa on Friday.

"We don't know what those next steps are right now. I haven't, certainly, predetermined that."

WATCH | Prairie Green landfill, north of Winnipeg, seen from above:

From above: Prairie Green Landfill north of Winnipeg

2 years ago

Duration 0:39

Operations at a private landfill where police believe the remains of two women are located will be paused, Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson and Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said Thursday afternoon at City Hall.

He wants more information about what a search would entail, while hearing from the families of the missing women and Indigenous leaders "will also be very important in the next steps of this process," he said.

Gillingham said he spoke with the leadership of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak and Long Plain First Nation Chief Kyra Wilson on Friday.

Chambers wants any search that is conducted to go beyond being "performative."

"It is at this point bringing comfort to a family and to a community that has been grieving for so long with respect to the injustices that they've experienced," he said.

Gillingham expressed sorrow and condolences to the families "walking through this very, very difficult journey at this time" and the Indigenous leaders supporting them.

"For all of Winnipeg, this has, and rightly so, gone to the core of our soul as a city," he said.

"We just cannot accept this. We have to do more to protect Indigenous women and girls."

Support is available for anyone affected by details of this case. If you require support, you can contact Ka Ni Kanichihk's Medicine Bear Counselling, Support and Elder Services at 204-594-6500, ext. 102 or 104 (within Winnipeg), or 1-888-953-5264 (outside Winnipeg).

Support is also available via Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Liaison unit at 1-800-442-0488 or 204-677-1648.