Teenage murder suspects and a cross-country manhunt: Canada reels as police descend on isolated town

Suspect’s father says son will be ‘dead today or tomorrow’

Kam McLeod, 19 and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, wanted by Canadian police (RCMP via Reuters)

A remote Canadian town is at the centre of a cross-country manhunt for two teenagers suspected of murdering three people.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said officers had found a burned vehicle linked to Kam McLeod, 19 and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, in the town of Gillam, Manitoba.

“We can now confirm this vehicle is the same vehicle the suspects were travelling in,” am RCMP spokesperson said.

Police officers from all over Canada have now travelled to Gillam, with the RCMP sending “a number of resources” to the area.

A heavier police presence is expected in the community and a checkpoint has been set up into the town, which has a population of around 1,200.

McLeod and Schmegelsky are childhood friends, whose burning car was found on the side of a motorway near Dease Lake in British Columbia.

Police considered the boys missing for four days after the van’s discovery.

But on 23 July the RCMP announced the teenagers were suspects in the murders of a couple who were found shot dead near British Columbia’s Liard Hot Springs.

Chynna Deese and Lucas Fowler were found shot dead on 15 July.

The teenagers were charged with the murder of Leonard Dyck, a third victim, on Wednesday, but are yet to be found.

The town of Gillam is more than 2,000 miles away from northern British Columbia, where the three murders occurred.

Detectives said the public should not approach the suspects if seen and should instead call the police.

The teenagers are believed to be armed and dangerous.

Schmegelsky’s father, Alan Schmegelsky, said he expected the nationwide manhunt to end in his son’s death, calling the teenager’s actions “a suicide mission”.

“A normal child doesn’t travel across the country killing people. A child in some very serious pain does,” he told Canadian Press.

“He’s on a suicide mission. He wants his pain to end.

“Basically, he’s going to be dead today or tomorrow. I know that. Rest in peace, Bryer. I love you. I’m so sorry all this had to happen.”

The teens were thought to be travelling to Whitehorse in the Yukon to look for work and had not been in contact with their families for the past few days, police said.

Residents of Gillam were locking their doors and cars on Wednesday and authorities in neighbouring Ontario have also warned the public about the teenagers.

Dwayne Forman, Gillam’s mayor, said he was surprised the pair had chosen to travel to the town as there was only one route in and one out of the area.

“We’re the end of the road,” Mr Forman said.

“You can’t go any further beyond us.”

Additional reporting by agencies