Canada - Lucas Fowler, Chynna Deese, and Leonard Dyck, all murdered, Alaska Hwy, BC, Jul 2019 #11

[NJSleuth91]

July 22, 2019
RCMP not ruling out link between missing Alberni teens, body found near truck, double slaying

Ok now this is weird...it sounds like they left for the Yukon REALLY abruptly.

Schmegelsky said he travelled to Port Alberni from his home in Victoria every other week to visit his son. He was on his way on July 12 when he received a message from Bryer saying he and McLeod were headed to Alberta and might not have Internet access for a while.

He said he assumed the two were heading to Red Deer, where Bryer’s cousins live. He has been trying to contact him every day since.

Also clearly there was zero communication between the different sectors of his family, as we were discussing earlier.

Schmegelsky, who is separated from Bryer’s mother, said the last time he saw his son was on June 28, and he learned Bryer was missing when he saw a story in a newspaper.

“No one contacted me,” he said. “But they should have. I shouldn’t be sitting in Starbucks seeing my kid’s picture.

 

[Seattle1]

Renata D'Aliesio‏ @RenataDAliesio
Our latest with @meltait and @ianabailey Includes exclusive interview with Manitoba North RCMP Superintendent: Police find items linked to manhunt suspects on shoreline near burned-out vehicle

Belongings of B.C. fugitives found on Manitoba shore; RCMP Superintendent says latest search coming to an end

6:54 PM - 6 Aug 2019 pst

 

[acutename]

JMO
Just an observation about the hands or arms of the deceased Van couple being underneath them.

That actually would make sense if the killer(s) dragged the couple off the side of the road by their feet while they were face up. Its been shown in other murder cases how a killer sometimes doesnt want to look at the face of the person they just killed so if they rolled their bodies over to be face down as the last thing they did then they would roll over onto their own arm or arms.

So it would not surprise me to have both bodies with an arm or two underneath them if the killers rolled them face down as the last thing they did once they got them off the road.

why touch the bodies at all?

 

[Jen-Knee]

I feel like if they were gone elsewhere, there would have been a confirmed sighting by now. They're not exactly stealthy. Of course, they could have changed their actions after they were named as suspects, but idk. I have a feeling they are in northern Manitoba still, and are either still going to wherever it is they are going by foot, or they are dead. I'd really like to know what was found on the shoreline. Depending what was found might indicate whether they drowned or not.

 

[MistyWaters]

No, and the fact of prior grievances I feel has absolutely no bearing on the fact that the 'locals' have 2 murder suspects from outside their community somewhere in their midst. I've seen nothing but the local communities being compliant and help the RCMP. No one wants to get killed. This is different - this is not the historical issues First Nations communities have had.

I have the upmost respect for Fox Lake Cree Nation Chief Spence as well, who from the first reports of the RAV4 found burning throughout the police investigation, has reportedly been totally engaged and supportive of the RCMP efforts while concerned about the fugitives posing risk to the safety of people on the reserve. I trust his high standards speaks for them all.

“Supt. Rupa was in Gillam to meet with the town’s mayor, Dwayne Forman, and Fox Lake Cree Nation Chief Walter Spence. He said the RCMP is now evaluating next steps for the search and how many police officers should remain in the area....”
Belongings of B.C. fugitives found on Manitoba shore; RCMP Superintendent says latest search coming to an end

 

[MassGuy]

"“If we thought people were here, we would not be leaving,” he said. “The only time we would scale down is because at the end of the day, we are of the mindset and the belief that after everything we have done, we don’t see any likelihood of those suspects posing a threat at this point.”"

So basically it seems like the RCMP is convinced they are dead. "We don't see ANY likelihood of those suspects posing a threat" is a pretty strong and definitive statement to make...JMO.

Yeah, that is a strong statement, and very likely true.

I’m just hoping that they do recover atleast one of their bodies at some point, as there will always be that lingering doubt in people’s minds.

Especially those of the victim’s families.

 

[otto]

That unusual comment at the end ... "we don't see any likelihood of those suspects posing a threat at this point" implies LE found some evidence pointing to their deaths.

I wonder if they found the boat and evidence of them being banged up by the rocks. If RCMP are stating that they are no longer a threat, then my guess is that there is evidence that they capsized and drowned or are otherwise deceased. I suppose if that is the case, then next of kin have to be notified first.

 

[steelybird]

"“If we thought people were here, we would not be leaving,” he said. “The only time we would scale down is because at the end of the day, we are of the mindset and the belief that after everything we have done, we don’t see any likelihood of those suspects posing a threat at this point.”"

So basically it seems like the RCMP is convinced they are dead. "We don't see ANY likelihood of those suspects posing a threat" is a pretty strong and definitive statement to make...JMO.

I don’t think they are convinced they are dead. As the article quotes, they think there is a possibility they are deceased. I read it more like they don’t think they are there anymore.

 

[FactFinder3000]

Yeah, I already suspected they may have drowned, but these latest revelations make it seem even more likely. I just don't see these two evading a massive police manhunt for this long. They made it to Sundance in spite of making all kinds of mistakes. Seems they made one final mistake.

 

[Kubirai]

I don't think there is any dumb luck except for the RCMP. Without the burned camper truck, the RCMP would never have connected the teens with the murdered tourists.

I recall getting a vibe that RCMP knew immediately that these teens were really not missing, but hiding. Very first release asked them to call and others to report them. No search for their bodies near the truck.

Even if they didn't burn the truck, highway cameras, cell phone pings, debit/credit usage could have pointed to them, eventually.

 

[Kiantra]

I wonder if they found the boat and evidence of them being banged up by the rocks. If RCMP are stating that they are no longer a threat, then my guess is that there is evidence that they capsized and drowned or are otherwise deceased. I suppose if that is the case, then next of kin have to be notified first.

This was my thought exactly. Next of kin needs to be notified if there is indeed evidence they are deceased.

 

[Errrr]

if they really were anywhere in particular for several days, there would likely be >ahem< waste material. Do the RCMP have sniffer dogs?

Are those the same as cadaver dogs? Though I don’t think you’re allowed to say that on here.

 

[otto]

I don’t think they are convinced they are dead. As the article quotes, they think there is a possibility they are deceased. I read it more like they don’t think they are there anymore.

If RCMP state that the suspects are deceased, there is evidence. If RCMP say it is possible that the suspects are deceased, then vague means many things are possible - they know nothing.

 

[Zella]

I don’t think they are convinced they are dead. As the article quotes, they think there is a possibility they are deceased. I read it more like they don’t think they are there anymore.

Yeah, it was kind of odd because the one statement in the article said "possibility" they were deceased but didn't seem firmly committed to the idea, then the rest of it made it very clear they didn't think they were a further threat, which really does sound like they were suggesting they were dead or, if not that, no longer there.

 

[Kubirai]

why touch the bodies at all?

Same question from me.

Also if they wanted to fool passing drivers, they could have taken the bodies further into the bush.

 

[NJSleuth91]

I don’t think they are convinced they are dead. As the article quotes, they think there is a possibility they are deceased. I read it more like they don’t think they are there anymore.

It depends on if they meant "we don't see any possibility of these suspects posing a threat at all ever," or just "in this general area." I interpreted it as the former. But considering what prompted this was finding evidence of the two having gone deeper into the wilderness rather than finding another mode of transportation to another inhabited area, I think the read between the lines context is: they dead. They can't come right out and say it on the off chance they are alive and also maybe because of next of kin.

 

[otto]

This was my thought exactly. Next of kin needs to be notified if there is indeed evidence they are deceased.

There must be something connecting the burned car to the Nelson River shore. A mangled skiff and debris on the shore after what day - July 28? How often were aerial photos taken?

 

[ladysamurai]

TIMELINE as of 2019-08-06 8:00PM Pacific Time—Again, many thanks to those who are helping find my mistakes!

July 13/14--Last known contact of BS w/Carol Starkey, grandmother.

July 14 11:30PM--C. Deese/L. Fowler seen alive, at van, AK Hwy/Hwy 97, 20km south of Liard Hot Springs BC

July 15 6:45AM--Deese’s and Fowler’s bodies spotted behind van by trucker

July 17—RCMP says Deese, Fowler deaths are suspicious

July 18—RCMP announces Deese, Fowler as homicide victims

July 18—BS/KM spotted 350km away, Jade City BC store, they stopped for free coffee

July 18 3:15PM--BS/KM spotted traveling south from Super A General Store, Dease Lake BC

July 19—BS/KM’s burning pickup, Hwy 37, 50km south of Dease Lake, 470km from Deese/Fowler

July 19—Man’s body reported at highway pullout 2km from burning pickup truck

July 19—BS/KM announced as missing by RCMP

July 20—(? Speculative?) Alberta RCMP confirms BS/KM spotted at a Fairview AB gas station

July 21--BS/KM in grey 2011 Toyota RAV4, get stuck in Cold Lake, AB. A local assists them.

July 21—BS/KM recorded on security camera in store at Meadow Lake, SK

July 22—BS/KM passed through alcohol checkpoint by band constables at Split Lake, MB

July 22--BS/KM sighted by store clerk where they made $20 petrol purchase

July 22 7:00PM—Burning RAV4 reported 40km northeast of Gillam, MB, 170km east of Split Lake, MB

July 23—RCMP announce BS/KM suspects in 3 deaths, possibly driving 2011 RAV4. Manhunt begins

July 24—RCMP ID body found July 19 near Dease Lake, BC, as that of Len Dyck

July 24—RCMP confirm BS/KM connected with burnt RAV4. Gillam area manhunt continues.

July 28—Alleged sighting, massive manhunt in York Landing, southwest of Gillam. No sign

August 2--Damaged green rowboat spotted by helicopter on shore of Nelson Rive

August 2—RCMP locates several personal items directly linked to BS/KM 9km from burnt RAV4

August 4--RCMP divers search Nelson River 29m around location of boat, report no additional finds

REFERENCES—those below, plus many others courtesy of the Websleuths community:

RCMP not ruling out link between missing Alberni teens, body found near truck, double slaying
(The above reference has some interesting points I have not seen elsewhere, including that BS’s father said he was closer to 125lbs, not 170lbs as reported by RCMP.)

Timeline of events in the deaths of three people in northern B.C.

Teens missing after burning truck and body found in Northern BC | News

RCMP divers to begin searching river near Gillam after finding rowboat, search for B.C. fugitives continues

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5237174?__twitter_impression=true

 

[pentimento]

Our rcmp were so slow off the blocks (4 hours to respond to the murdered couple, really?), that the killer of these 3 innocents has had ample time to frame the two suspects, over and again. Any cctv security tapes at gas pumps will have long now been erased, but it might have been helpful to have seen at least one clip of the suspects actually sitting in the Rav4. What we see in fact is only what the killer wants us to - the young dupes wandering around a grocery store, making sure he's put them on camera while he himself, cagely hides in back whenever public scrutiny was looming.
Its not illogical to surmise that the two suspect's own truck simply had mechanical issues and they were picked up by the killer who saw an opportunity in their gullability for excitement. He could easily have planted a possession of theirs at each crime scene, even used their own gun on the 3rd victim if they indeed had one, without the suspects even knowing. Maybe that's why the suspects aren't charged in the first murders - different weapon ballistic evidence.

Plenty of possible reason why all three would have hot-tailed it to such a dead-end location as Gillam. Its likely the killer knew the area from past experience, knew of the train schedules - remember nobody's looking for him at the time of the Rav4 torching. (or today) Perhaps he knew of a train time slowing past right after the burning. Wouldn't be a problem for the killer either to execute these two once he'd got them suitably framed, or indeed even stroked them into believing they would rendevous at some future fictitious point, and sent them on their way to perish.

Quite possibly the two suspects know nothing of the killings at all, but its almost a certainty that they're not experienced enough to have survived this long in such uncompromising bush. They've been dead a while. And sadly, the killer's long away as per the mantracker story above.

I can't imagine the heartbreak felt by all three families of the victims.

I find this whole line of thinking really intriguing. I'd love to see this theory hashed out a little more. It would explain a few things. such as the burning of the vehicles, which doesn't make any sense unless they wanted to call attention to themselves. Or, if as you suggest, someone is framing them. If they are running and hiding, why torch the cars? Another poster has pointed out that they left to look for work rather abruptly. Were they meeting up with someone who promised them work? Or, did they meet someone in Whitehorse who promised work elsewhere? Why go to Dease Lake? Did they go to Gillam to meet someone? And what was it that BS's dad said when his son was implicated -- that they had 'seen something' and were hiding? But why would they drop off the radar since the murders and not call their families, and how could they not know about the murders or that they were suspects? And why would they leave the camper or allow it to be burned? There are some things that don't quite fit the frame-up theory, but many of the things they've done are inexplicable.

 

[siliconrod]

RCMP had initially declared Mr. Schmegelsky and Mr. McLeod were missing after their pickup truck was found on fire outside Dease Lake. But on July 23, police said the pair were suspects in the deaths of Ms. Deese, Mr. Fowler and Mr. Dyck. The next day, RCMP charged Mr. Shmegelsky and Mr. McLeod with second-degree murder in Mr. Dyck’s death.

Have KM and BS been charged with second-degree murder in LF and CD deaths.

Was LD death a result of gun violence or some other type of violence. I remember reading in thread #1 that RCMP stated that LD death was that of natural causes but maybe caused by foul play but I might be in error on this point. TIA.