Canada - Lucas Fowler, Chynna Deese, and Leonard Dyck, all murdered, Alaska Hwy, BC, Jul 2019 #14

[MistyWaters]

The full BC RCMP press release, for anyone just now following along -

“The Manitoba Medical Examiner has completed the autopsies and confirmed that the two deceased men located in Manitoba on August 7, 2019 were Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky. Their next of kin have been notified and they have been offered support.

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 where 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 in British Columbia - Update – RCMP confirm cause of death and provide update on the Northern BC triple homicide investigations

 

[10ofRods]

BS and KM were adults and it was their right to refuse mental health care if they so chose, as the Danforth shooter chose, for instance. Making it free or more accessible may have not made any difference. Sometimes things happen and there is nothing anyone can do, and no changes you can make to prevent it from ever happening again.

Sure, but no one who works in the social sector would start from that hypothesis. And "mental health care" can be as simple as being in a group setting once or twice a week, with like-minded people, with the goal of finding balance and wholeness. It's harder to provide to teens in rural or semi-rural settings, but there are also online alternatives.

Making it work is the key factor. There are diagnoses (like the one given to the Danford shooter) that are exceptionally hard to treat. Focused interventions can work, though. It is better than nothing.

To make it work, it often takes a strong family system combined with community incentives. The criminality often diminishes with age, so part of the game is getting adolescents through to actual adulthood.

It is complex and certainly people will always fall through the cracks.

 

[Thinkzerz]

So they still have to confirm if the guns they found beside the men where involved in the couples killing? What about the professor? Sounds like he wasn’t killed by a gun? JMO

 

[MassGuy]

"...forensic analysis is underway in order to definitively confirm that these weapons are connected with the northern BC homicide investigations..."
Is there a reason why the RCMP didn't state these 2 guns have been confirmed through forensic analysis as being the guns used in the deaths of BS and KM?

Because they didn’t have to.

They might still be working on confirming that, but it seems readily apparent that these two guns were used to commit suicide, as they were found with the bodies.

 

[Francie Starr]

That there were two guns located near the bodies.

I have every confidence in LE but I am a bit curious about how a suicide's gun would be found "near" his body. An odd turn of phrase, IMO. Not "with" his body or "in his hand" etc. but somewhere near. Probably nothing...

 

[Shlock Homes]

Using normal logic to understand the minds of two killers, simply doesn’t work.

They don’t think like us.

I think it's too easy to say that, though. Argue that the facts seem strange because these guys just don't think like regular folks. But they were able to evade capture for so long, even hanging around the area of the first murder scene for days. Then they went electronically quiet, didn't accidentally text someone, or didn't post something on their social media. We never heard about police following their cellphone pings. Just random tips and sightings connecting them to the murders, then their trail across the country. Even finding their bodies seemed a bit too convenient, based on someone finding a boat down stream, then leading investigators to look along the shore line and finding other items, items that were further away from them and the burning car. Wrapped up too neatly with a bow.

 

[Thinkzerz]

One gun would be hard to come by let alone two! I am betting that KM family owned guns and he was able to get his hands on a couple of them. MOO

 

[Francie Starr]

if the guns came from where I suspect they did then I think that will show more that it was just the two of them.

Where do you suspect they came from?

 

[Massasauga Rattler]

Shots were heard by York Landing residents and were later attributed to an RCMP communication tactic.

Shots heard by York Landing, Man., residents used as a police communication tool, RCMP commander explains

no way you would hear shots that far away, even up in the wilderness.

 

[KR72]

"...forensic analysis is underway in order to definitively confirm that these weapons are connected with the northern BC homicide investigations..."
Is there a reason why the RCMP didn't state these 2 guns have been confirmed through forensic analysis as being the guns used in the deaths of BS and KM?

I could be reading it wrong, but I think by using the plural, "homicide investigations," that it is implied they're working on confirming forensics on all three murders.

 

[Cherchri]

I think they simply need to further investigate the circumstances.

All indications are that these two died from suicide though.

Perhaps the autopsy report isn’t final, or the RCMP just decided to characterize it this way.

Perhaps they shot each other. I imagine ballistic testing and the location of each gun matched to each bullet would reveal this and that likely hasn't been determined as yet. Just a thought ito another possibility

 

[steelybird]

So...they shot each other? Or did each take their own lives?

What does the WS crowd think?

I can't picture either. But I'm leaning towards suicide since the RCMP says that's what it appears to be.

 

[1987]

I have every confidence in LE but I am a bit curious about how a suicide's gun would be found "near" his body. An odd turn of phrase, IMO. Not "with" his body or "in his hand" etc. but somewhere near. Probably nothing...

depending on the cal it could be quite a distance away from recoil.

 

[Peace777]

I never believed they went in that boat or rapids in the first place.

So the boat has nothing to do with the case after all i guess. I had asked awhile back why doesn't the person who owns it come forward, maybe they finally did? Were there things of these 2 found floating in the river tho? If so how did those things end up in the water? And now the autopsy is saying it's NOT known when they died? I'm confused now.

 

[Kiantra]

Makes me wonder if, initially, they were heading out to play a real life version of the game. However, after the killings of Lucas and Chynna, they had huge regrets so they stayed out of sight for a few days trying to decide what to do. They realized there was no going back and they were pretty well screwed, so they took advantage of Len and his RAV4 and high tailed it out of there. While driving all that time through BC to Manitoba they made a pack to each other. Just my thoughts.

 

[olivebpa1]

Legally that is. Murderers are considered innocent until convicted by a court of law.
In the court of public opinion, everyone is entitled to his/her opinion.

What do you make of OJ? Do you think he's innocent because he was found not guilty?

Exactly. Legally these 2 will never be convicted murders. They saw to that. However we are allowed to have an opinion based on evidence.

 

[Shlock Homes]

no way you would hear shots that far away, even up in the wilderness.

Also, if there's hunting in the area, you could be hearing gunshots from other people.

 

[MistyWaters]

Shots were heard by York Landing residents and were later attributed to an RCMP communication tactic.

Shots heard by York Landing, Man., residents used as a police communication tool, RCMP commander explains

York Landing and Sundance are appx 200 km (125 miles) away by road, almost as far as the crow flies.

But I wonder did officers posted north of Gillam or patrols at Fox Lake Cree Nation ever heard unidentified gunshots at any point in time? Maybe that’s one reason the RCMP continued to focus on the area even though popular opinion seemed to indicate was the pair were probably long gone.

 

[1987]

Where do you suspect they came from?

kam family home.

 

[MassGuy]

Perhaps they shot each other. I imagine ballistic testing and the location of each gun matched to each bullet would reveal this and that likely hasn't been determined as yet. Just a thought ito another possibility

I think the trajectory and entrance wounds would have told them.

I imagine them sticking the barrels in their mouths, and doing it that way.

Especially if these were long-guns, like a rifle or shotgun (which is what I think they used).

They didn’t say murder/suicide, and each of them shooting the other one would require perfect timing.