'I didn't meet that monster': Father of Canada teen killer speaks out
Aug 11, 2019
The father of Bryer Schmegelsky – the teenager accused of killing three people, including Australian man Lucas Fowler – has spoken out for the first time since the bodies of his son and fellow fugitive Kam McLeod were discovered in far-north Canada.
In the exclusive 60 Minutes interview, Alan Schmegelsky said the loss of his 18-year-old son is "heartbreaking" despite the disturbing crimes he is accused of committing in his final weeks.
"You may think he's a monster but he's my son, he's my Bryer," an emotional Schmegelsky told 60 Minutes reporter Sarah Abo.
"I didn't meet that monster… that's not who I know."
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"At least I know where he is, his troubles are over, I'm sad that he felt he had to take that road trip."
Bryer Schmegelsky and his best friend, 19-year-old Kam McLeod were wanted over the deaths of three people, including Australian man Lucas Fowler and his American girlfriend, Chynna Deese.
On July 15, Fowler and Deese were found shot dead by the side of a remote highway.
Schmegelsky and McLeod were connected to the murders after the body of local university Professor Leonard Dyck was found over 470km away in regional far-north Canada, four days later.
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Schmegelsky said his son was quiet and spent most of his time online gaming with his friends.
"He was raised by YouTube and video games," Schmegelsky says, and admits his son's childhood was challenging.
"He had a lot of time with very little attention given to him and I know that," Schmegelsky said.
"He could have had a better upbringing."
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"I never gave him a real gun. I never gave him a gun that would kill someone."
Despite the evidence against his son, Schmegelsky is struggling to come to terms with the fact Bryer died as one of the most wanted - and hated - men in Canada.
But he still wants more proof before he'll truly believe his son is a killer.
"We'll never know the answer. Everyone's so quick to judge… he might be a victim in all of this for all we know," he told Abo.
"I'm not going to say my son is a murderer until I get some facts."