2022 Winnipeg serial killings

Between March and May 2022, four Indigenous-Canadian women, Rebecca Contois, Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, and an unidentified woman referred to as Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe (or Buffalo Woman), were murdered by Jeremy Skibicki. He was charged for the murders on December 1, 2022.[1] On July 11, 2024, he was found guilty on all four counts of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to four life sentences in August 2024.

Investigations by Global News and CBC News revealed that Skibicki had a pattern of spousal abuse, with two previous partners having been allegedly assaulted, threatened, and raped by Skibicki. Both partners were of Indigenous (Métis) descent. Further investigations of Skibicki's Facebook account revealed a pattern of misogynistic, violent, anti-semitic, and white supremacist behaviour.[2]

The killings prompted an emergency debate in the House of Commons regarding the ongoing epidemic of violence against Indigenous women and girls. A motion proposing the creation of a "Red Dress Alert" by MP Leah Gazan was unanimously adopted by the House of Commons, citing the murders in a letter to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendocino.[3][4] Ahead of the 2023 Manitoba general election, the ruling Progressive Conservatives campaigned against searching the landfill for the remains of Myran and Harris.[5][6][7] The Progressive Conservatives would lose the 2023 election to the New Democrats, who promised a search for the women's remains at the Prairie Green Landfill if elected.[8]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference bergen1d was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference bergen7jn was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Seebruch, Nick (5 May 2023). "Red Dress Alert motion receives unanimous support from MPs". rabble.ca. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  4. ^ Taylor, Stephanie (22 February 2023). "Manitoba MP urges federal government to create 'Red Dress Alert' for missing Indigenous women and girls". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  5. ^ Kives, Bartley (25 September 2023). "PCs make opposition to landfill search a central facet of campaign as Manitoba election day nears". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBC News. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  6. ^ Lambert, Steve (4 October 2023). "Ads opposing landfill search 'deeply regrettable,' says Manitoba PC cabinet minister who lost seat". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  7. ^ Martens, Kathleen (3 October 2023). "First Nations PC candidate won't challenge party on landfill search". APTN News. Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  8. ^ Thompson, Sam (4 October 2023). "Manitoba NDP will stick to landfill promise, MLA says". Global News Winnipeg. Corus Entertainment. Global News. Retrieved 18 November 2023.