The RCMP say two British Columbia men who led police on a cross-Canada manhunt died by what appears to be suicide by gunfire.
Police say Bryer Schmegelsky and Kam McLeod appeared to be dead for a number of days before their bodies were found in northern Manitoba but the exact time of their deaths isn't know.
However, police say in a statement that there were strong indications that the teens had been alive for a few days since they were last seen in July and during the extensive search efforts in the Gillam area.
Police say two firearms were located with the dead men and forensic analysis is underway to "definitively confirm" that the weapons are connected with the northern B.C. homicide investigations.
McLeod and Schmegelsky were charged with the murder of Leonard Dyck, a University of British Columbia botany lecturer, and were also suspects in the deaths of American Chynna Deese and her Australian boyfriend Lucas Fowler.
The RCMP say once its review has been completed in the next few weeks it will provide the families with an update and then will release the information publicly.
Full RCMP release:
The RCMP can also confirm that the two died in what appears to be suicides by gunfire. While both individuals were deceased for a number of days before they were found, the exact time and date of their deaths are not known. However, there are strong indications that they had been alive for a few days since last seen in July and during the extensive search efforts in the Gillam area.
Police can also confirm that two firearms were also located with the two deceased males and forensic analysis is underway in order to definitively confirm that these weapons are connected with the northern BC homicide investigations. The Manitoba RCMP have completed their search of the area were the two male bodies were discovered, approximately 8 km from where Mr. Dyck’s burnt RAV4 was located on July 22, 2019.
Investigators are now assessing all items located in Manitoba, along with the previous findings related to the three northern BC homicide investigations, in order to gain more clarity into what happened to Leonard Dyck, Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese. The assessment will review all the investigative findings to date, whether it is statements, evidentiary time lines, physical or digital evidence, and the BC RCMP have also have engaged our Behavioural Analysis Unit (BAU).
The BC RCMP commits that once we have completed that review within the next few weeks, we will be providing the families with an update with respect to the totality of the investigations and then releasing the information publicly.
— RCMP
