Canada - Lucas Fowler, Chynna Deese, and Leonard Dyck, all murdered, Alaska Hwy, BC, Jul 2019 #22

[dust bunny]

Thank you. I was under the impression that both had only been working at Walmart for 5 weeks before they quit and left on their trip. I never saw anything about KM having had good customer relations skills. I therefore also questioned how they had managed in 5 short weeks to save enough $ to finance their planned trip (as well as to buy BS a new suit).

Now another question: does anyone know when KM bought or acquired his truck/camper? That had to cost a fair amount. Up to your response, I had assumed it might have been a high school graduation gift from his family. However, for the longest period, I was under the impression that both had "graduated" in June 2019. Then I discovered that KM had graduated a year earlier and that BS had never graduated.

 

[CanadianSleuther]

Now another question: does anyone know when KM bought or acquired his truck/camper?

My guess the camper was his parents and they just let him use it. He probably got his license around 16 so he could have had his license for 3 years, and they live just outside of Port Alberni, so they likely gave him the truck once he got his license so he could drive himself to and from school and/or the city.

 

[dust bunny]

Merci!

 

[NJSleuth91]

Thank you. I was under the impression that both had only been working at Walmart for 5 weeks before they quit and left on their trip. I never saw anything about KM having had good customer relations skills. I therefore also questioned how they had managed in 5 short weeks to save enough $ to finance their planned trip (as well as to buy BS a new suit).

If I come across any articles mentioning Kam working at Walmart again, I'll post them here. There's so many articles that have come out on this case, it's hard to track down specific ones again (I know...I should have just saved them).

I still am confused about the suit thing. Like why buy a suit if you're going to go on a killing spree anyway? He wanted to be cremated so clearly it wasn't meant to be a funeral suit as his dad speculated. That's yet another thing that makes me think they only decided to go out and do this maybe a day or two before they left.

Now another question: does anyone know when KM bought or acquired his truck/camper? That had to cost a fair amount. Up to your response, I had assumed it might have been a high school graduation gift from his family. However, for the longest period, I was under the impression that both had "graduated" in June 2019. Then I discovered that KM had graduated a year earlier and that BS had never graduated.

I think everyone thought he had borrowed the truck from his parents up until the report came out and said it was registered to him. It was a pretty old truck (1992) but from what I've heard that type of vehicle would be expensive in Port Alberni. My guess is, it was either a gift from his parents (either for graduation or a birthday), or he bought it from them at a discount with the money he earned working at Walmart.

BTW, random thing, is Bryer looking at his phone in this picture from the Fairview gas station? Or what is that object he's holding and looking at?

 

[sprucetip]

If I come across any articles mentioning Kam working at Walmart again, I'll post them here. There's so many articles that have come out on this case, it's hard to track down specific ones again (I know...I should have just saved them).

I still am confused about the suit thing. Like why buy a suit if you're going to go on a killing spree anyway? He wanted to be cremated so clearly it wasn't meant to be a funeral suit as his dad speculated. That's yet another thing that makes me think they only decided to go out and do this maybe a day or two before they left.

I think everyone thought he had borrowed the truck from his parents up until the report came out and said it was registered to him. It was a pretty old truck (1992) but from what I've heard that type of vehicle would be expensive in Port Alberni. My guess is, it was either a gift from his parents (either for graduation or a birthday), or he bought it from them at a discount with the money he earned working at Walmart.

BTW, random thing, is Bryer looking at his phone in this picture from the Fairview gas station? Or what is that object he's holding and looking at?

View attachment 207378

The suit thing is so odd! It’s just such a bizarre thing to take on a cross-country killing spree. It doesn’t even make sense for applying for jobs, they likely would have been applying at places that didn’t require suits or anything but casual clothing.

Wow, didn’t even notice B in that photo before. Does look like something is in his hand. Hard to tell but looks larger than a phone.

 

[NJSleuth91]

The suit thing is so odd! It’s just such a bizarre thing to take on a cross-country killing spree. It doesn’t even make sense for applying for jobs, they likely would have been applying at places that didn’t require suits or anything but casual clothing.

Yeah and one of the officers in Split Lake said they saw a suit in the car also?

Wow, didn’t even notice B in that photo before. Does look like something is in his hand. Hard to tell but looks larger than a phone.

I didn't notice him either until someone mentioned him being there. So...I guess camouflage is effective?

But I mentioned the phone thing for two reasons: a) some people on here said they remembered that his Instagram profile photo was originally one of him by himself, and then changed to the one with Kam at some point while they were on the run but before they were named as suspects. b) the thing Bryer's dad said about how they had Bryer's phone and the police could have tracked it.

 

[Grouper]

If I come across any articles mentioning Kam working at Walmart again, I'll post them here. There's so many articles that have come out on this case, it's hard to track down specific ones again (I know...I should have just saved them).

I still am confused about the suit thing. Like why buy a suit if you're going to go on a killing spree anyway? He wanted to be cremated so clearly it wasn't meant to be a funeral suit as his dad speculated. That's yet another thing that makes me think they only decided to go out and do this maybe a day or two before they left.



I think everyone thought he had borrowed the truck from his parents up until the report came out and said it was registered to him. It was a pretty old truck (1992) but from what I've heard that type of vehicle would be expensive in Port Alberni. My guess is, it was either a gift from his parents (either for graduation or a birthday), or he bought it from them at a discount with the money he earned working at Walmart.

BTW, random thing, is Bryer looking at his phone in this picture from the Fairview gas station? Or what is that object he's holding and looking at?

View attachment 207378

One thing that has always stuck out to me is that the suit was in the RAV with them when they were stopped in Split Lake.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5230779

“Contrary to previous media reports, Saunders said he didn't notice any maps or camping gear in the vehicle — just two boxes and a suit.”

 

[NJSleuth91]

One thing that has always stuck out to me is that the suit was in the RAV with them when they were stopped in Split Lake.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5230779

“Contrary to previous media reports, Saunders said he didn't notice any maps or camping gear in the vehicle — just two boxes and a suit.”

Yes like...isn't that just the weirdest thing??

 

[Grouper]

@NJSleuth91 in response to your BTW — he could be holding: a wallet, gloves, a bag of m&m’s.... the photo is too blurry to really make it out

ETA: although, Bryer’s dad mentioned it was a Samsung, and if I recall correctly, those are a little bit bulky, particularly with a case around them, so it could be a phone. And yes, he did change his Instagram profile photo around the time they were named suspects (IIRC). That was symbolic to me, ie, “this is my best friend and I want to the world to know it.”

But that is just speculation on my part, and the photo could mean nothing at all. It is interesting, though.

 

[Bluepopsicle]

THANK YOU for speaking up. Your views mirror my own exactly. While people are curious and want answers, I don't think the families of KM and BS have the answers to give. If anything, they likely have more questions than anyone!

They are staggering under the weight of what their sons have done and anyone with a kind bone in their body would realize they are in an immense amount of pain.

I'm not championing them "over" the parents and families of the deceased. I'm saying that if I really take a moment, take a deep breath, close my eyes and allow the enormity of what they must be feeling wash over me, then I could just cry for what they must be feeling and going through.

How do you ever take a normal step through life again? I feel for them all. I especially feel for C, L and L and their families; they had no choice. But the families of these two teens didn't, either.

I can't imagine that anyone here would think that if they did know how deeply disturbed their sons were that they would have been complacent about it. Different people handle such things differently and to a different degree, but nobody just sits back and says, "I think my child is capable of murder but I'll just forget about it and hope nothing comes of it".

Personally, I feel deeply for the victims' families. SO much so. I also respect KM's family's silence, the silence of BS's mother and grandmother, et al, and I have the greatest empathy for AS. He is a man in pain and he is trying to find his way through this, and the least any of us can do is wish him well.

For the reasons you stipulate, I fear I may need to step back from this thread, as my own empathy for those involved is pretty much all I can think about; the minutiae of what and when and where the perps changed their clothes, ate a candy bar, built a gun, stopped their camper, etc. fell off my radar screen after last week's press conference.

So very beautifully and eloquently said. I so very much appreciate your words and thoughts, and I can’t help but feel that somehow you have put my own thoughts into words much MUCH better than I ever could have.
Thank you for your post!

 

[SovereignSnake]

SBM.
Do you mean the same place/dealer they acquired the engraved Nazi knife?

If so/if not why wouldn’t you be allowed to speculate this?

I'm fairly certain given the amount of ammo Bryer and Kam accrued, it must have come from a private sale, like a garage sale or they answered a Craigslist add where it would not trigger any red flags. Not mention the age of that ammo. I mean 1975!? I know here in Minnesota you tend to only find authentic German WWII memorabilia at antique stores. I've seen lighters, knives, helmets, coins, etc. But they're very expensive. If Bryer's armband and knife are knockoffs, which I was told they were, he probably got it on eBay or some website that specifically makes replicas. I don't think he could have ever afforded the authentic stuff. I do know also, from stopping in a time or two for Halloween costume stuff in the past, our military surplus stores will sell some historical memorabilia but it's never anything remarkable and the German stuff is incredibly rare with a ridiculous markup to boot if you do find any. In fact I noted once several years ago a local antique store even wanted 500 dollars (US) for a German WWII Helmet! The surplus stores here definitely don't sell guns or ammunition, just lots of gear, equipment and clothing.

 

[NJSleuth91]

ETA: although, Bryer’s dad mentioned it was a Samsung, and if I recall correctly, those are a little bit bulky, particularly with a case around them, so it could be a phone. And yes, he did change his Instagram profile photo around the time they were named suspects (IIRC). That was symbolic to me, ie, “this is my best friend and I want to the world to know it.”

But that is just speculation on my part, and the photo could mean nothing at all. It is interesting, though.

The way he's looking at it is the way someone would look at a phone.

I'm also going to posit that, if someone changes their Instagram photo in the midst of a killing spree to a photo of them with the person they're committing the killing spree with, it's probably symbolic. But as I've said before, what an absolutely bizarre final message to send with that particular photo, with the butterflies and all. It's one of the most baffling details of a case I've ever seen in true crime.

I also wonder if the person who came forward to the RCMP did so because of the photo changing, like "hey wait a minute, these guys are still alive!"

 

[dust bunny]

The way he's looking at it is the way someone would look at a phone.

I'm also going to posit that, if someone changes their Instagram photo in the midst of a killing spree to a photo of them with the person they're committing the killing spree with," it's probably symbolic." But as I've said before, what an absolutely bizarre final message to send with that particular photo, with the butterflies and all. It's one of the most baffling details of a case I've ever seen in true crime.

I also wonder if the person who came forward to the RCMP did so because of the photo changing, like "hey wait a minute, these guys are still alive!"

 

[SovereignSnake]

@NJSleuth91 excellent catch! Funny thing about that photo, it looks clearer on my cellphone screen than it does on the computer screen, but it could just be my computer. Another thing, I noticed if you're viewing the final report website, some of the photos are cutoff if you're reading it in portrait view making it very easy to not even see Bryer at all in that photo. Here's another thing, he's clearly doing that obsessive compulsive check your phone glance that we all do (even when you know there's nothing new to look at) but does he perhaps have WiFi or it just that reflex? I think this really helps narrow down when he changed his Instagram photo. It also answers my question if Bryer burned his phone in the Dodge and Camper fire. Did Kam keep his as well minus the SIM card? You know, ever since the final report came out and it was revealed they were at the McDonald's in Thompson I couldn't help but think he was using their free WiFi and changed it right there that Monday afternoon the 22nd. I know the interpretation can be subjective, but I agree with you and @Grouper. I read it as; "This is the love of my life and you'll never tear us apart." Question for you also @NJSleuth91 who do you think this mystery someone was, whom was surprised they were still alive? I had wondered if they sent this person a Snapchat of one of the crime scenes but left it vague and open to interpretation. Trolling so to speak. Do you think maybe this anonymous person received a message Monday or was triggered by the Instagram photo change and that was why they came forward on the 22nd or do you think they had waited a few days, perhaps over the weekend before reporting it on Monday to the RCMP. Maybe longer? I asked yesterday if they didn't send someone a Snapchat of one of murder scenes, maybe even the burning truck? But this person was unsure or scared whether or not to come forward for several days?

 

[JoshuaTree]

posted Sep 28 2019.


'Al Schmegelsky2 days ago
Everyone wants to know what really led up to this. I constantly communicate with Tanya Fletcher as well as dozens of reporters around the globe. Truth is I have been more outspoken in all this than anyone. 60 minutes didn't pay me a nickel and I didn't ask.

SBM

Is there verifiable proof that this is THE Alan Schmegelsky?? (we do know that there have been fake accounts created previously of Kam and Bryer)

 

[NJSleuth91]

I think this really helps narrow down when he changed his Instagram photo.

You know, ever since the final report came out and it was revealed they were at the McDonald's in Thompson I couldn't help but think he was using their free WiFi and changed it right there that Monday afternoon the 22nd.

or was triggered by the Instagram photo change and that was why they came forward on the 22nd

SBM

This is exactly how I think it happened. Will say JMO on this one, but I've heard from multiple sources it was changed at some point on the 22nd. According to the report they were at the Thompson Manitoba McDonalds at 1:10PM PST/3:10PM CDT. Their friend came forward at 2 PM PST. I bet their friends were obsessively checking their social media just in case and were like "OMG, they're alive!...wait a second...." and then put two and two together about what changing the profile photo meant.

I don't think the person received any communication about the murder scene or the burning car. For one thing the police said they last contacted people they knew on July 17th. Also I think if the person got something that definitive, they would have come forward sooner.

 

[SovereignSnake]

@NJSleuth91 nevermind that last question, I got it. You meant in the days following the discovery of the pickup fire and Leonard's body and Kam and Bryer were presumed missing and everyone suspected they were dead too.

Edit: Sorry, not my last question, I meant the one about why the anonymous person thought they were dead. I just realized I asked several more questions after that.

 

[dust bunny]

Yes, I agree that the butterfly posting was symbolic. I admit that I am quite old and out-dated so I know zero about Instagram, Snapchat and technology but there was definitely a message being conveyed in the butterfly picture. Was it then--after the first murders? May well have been. I, for one, have never swallowed the "story" that they were leaving PA to go to look for work in the Yukon--any evidence that they ever applied for or attempted to find work after they left PA??? I always thought this was their justification or "ruse" to their families. After the murders of LF and CD, I felt that their trip to the Yukon was only to try to distance themselves from the crime scene and give themselves an alibi that they had been in the Yukon, job searching. I also have had serious doubts about their alleged truck problems. This is my opinion only.

 

[LoisLane]

I'm fairly certain given the amount of ammo Bryer and Kam accrued, it must have come from a private sale, like a garage sale or they answered a Craigslist add where it would not trigger any red flags. Not mention the age of that ammo. I mean 1975!? I know here in Minnesota you tend to only find authentic German WWII memorabilia at antique stores. I've seen lighters, knives, helmets, coins, etc. But they're very expensive. If Bryer's armband and knife are knockoffs, which I was told they were, he probably got it on eBay or some website that specifically makes replicas. I don't think he could have ever afforded the authentic stuff. I do know also, from stopping in a time or two for Halloween costume stuff in the past, our military surplus stores will sell some historical memorabilia but it's never anything remarkable and the German stuff is incredibly rare with a ridiculous markup to boot if you do find any. In fact I noted once several years ago a local antique store even wanted 500 dollars (US) for a German WWII Helmet! The surplus stores here definitely don't sell guns or ammunition, just lots of gear, equipment and clothing.

“Alfred Bergkvist, owner of "A" Company Military Surplus in nearby Coombs, said he purchased all of Harreson's merchandise, including some Nazi material, when it closed.

Bergkvist said he didn't recognize the red Nazi armband in the photograph but his store also stocked Hitler Youth knives identical to the one in the picture.

He recalled that two boys came into his store about three weeks ago and bought one of the replica knives that are inscribed with the German words for "blood and honour."

"They were really excited about it," he said, adding he didn't know whether the pair were Schmegelsky and McLeod and he doesn't have security cameras.”

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/schmegelsky-father-denies-neo-nazi-1.5227466

If it was them the knife is described as a replica.

I doubt the store owner sold them the vintage gun and bullets. I’m guessing the police questioned him and would probably follow up after the gun was recovered.

Personally, I think the gun was taken from someone who will eventually come forward or be tracked through tips.

 

[cdnjan]

@NJSleuth91 But as others said, they probably got it very cheap from someone's stockpile, an estate sale/garage sale or maybe even Craigslist? The fact they had this ancient ammo is a whole other mystery in and of itself.

''
The ammo is very available out there from what I am reading. Sounds like these shells are very reliable and last forever. For instance someone at this link bought some that are stamped 81' and he stated that is much newer than all the surplus out there. My guess is Cabela's as well, an online purchase. Smaller quantities are available for less $$ https://www.cabelas.ca/product/8020/surplus-762x39mm-fmj-ammunition-1500-rounds?fbclid=IwAR1kQj9rJgQaZHUW-mHnzidAwBs-UAlW-XnOubz_kzNqUwSIAcGNmjuva8A