https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-police-homicide-arrests-woodlands-remains-1.6416997
Winnipeg police have identified the body of a person found dead in the rural municipality of Woodlands in late March, who investigators believe was the victim of a homicide.
The victim has been identified as 26-year-old Brandon Brust, police said in a news release Tuesday.
On Feb. 11, Winnipeg police said they received a request from Selkirk RCMP to assist with a missing persons investigation regarding Brandon Brust and a 22-year-old woman, who were reported missing from Scanterbury, Man., and were believed to be in Winnipeg.
The Bear Clan assisted with the search efforts. On Feb. 13, Brust's vehicle was found parked along Selkirk Avenue in Winnipeg.
On Feb. 14, Winnipeg police said they responded to a known drug house on Pritchard Avenue after receiving a report of suspicious circumstances.
The responding officers found several people inside the residence, including a 22-year-old woman who had been seriously assaulted.
The injured woman was taken to hospital, and the remaining people in the house were detained. One of the individuals detained was identified as the 22-year-old woman missing from Scanterbury.
The Major Crimes Unit continued the investigation and determined that Brust had visited the Pritchard Avenue residence on Feb. 11.
Investigators later determined Brust was attacked and killed by the male resident in the Pritchard Avenue residence on Feb. 11, police said during a news conference Tuesday.
His remains were subsequently removed from the residence and moved to another location.
A woman present during the incident was seriously assaulted, and another woman was threatened and forcibly confined at the scene. A sexual assault was also committed on one of the women, police said.
Investigators worked to locate Brust's remains while the suspects remained in custody.
On March 30, RCMP confirmed human remains had been located near Road 79 North in the Rural Municipality of Woodlands. Forensic analysis was able to identify the remains of Brandon Brust.
Kenneth Andrew Edwards, 29, has been charged with second-degree murder, sexual assault and forcible confinement, among other charges.
Billie Erin Kozub, 38, has been charged with accessory after the fact to murder among other charges.
Emily Rae Fontaine, 18, has also been charged with accessory after the fact to murder.
All three remain in police custody.
The accessory after the fact to murder charges "speak to moving the body from one location to the next," Const. Dani McKinnon said at a news conference Tuesday.
Police said they are aware of additional individuals who were also likely involved in various aspects of the homicide.
Anyone with information regarding this incident, individuals or associated vehicles, is asked to contact Winnipeg Police Major Crimes Investigators at 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).
