The RCMP say they believe the two young men who are suspects in the homicides of a tourist couple in British Columbia, and who have been charged in a third, are still in the area around Gillam in northern Manitoba.
Police say there have been two confirmed sightings near Gillam, about 750 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, of Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18.
In addition, police said there have been no recent reports of stolen vehicles in the area, which leads them to believe McLeod and Schmegelsky are still in northern Manitoba.
RCMP updated media on Thursday afternoon on the manhunt which has gripped Western Canada.
They say the confirmed sightings occurred prior to the discovery of their burnt-out vehicle on Monday night, but RCMP Cpl. Julie Courchaine would not elaborate on any details about the sightings.
Police have enlisted resources from across Western Canada to assist in the manhunt around Gillam and Fox Lake Cree Nation. They have received around 80 tips from the public in the last 48 hours, Courchaine said Thursday.
“We are taking all steps to be as thorough as we can, which is why we have so many resources,” she said. “We’re doing a lot of searches in and around that area.”
McLeod and Schmegelsky are suspects in the double homicide of Australian Lucas Fowler, 23, and American Chynna Deese, 24, who were discovered shot to death along the side of the Alaska Highway, south of Liard Hot Springs, B.C., on July 15.
They are also charged with second-degree murder in the death of Leonard Dyck, a sessional instructor at the University of British Columbia.
Four days after Fowler and Deese’s bodies were found, McLeod and Schmegelsky’s burnt-out truck was discovered more than 470 kilometres away, near the community of Dease Lake, B.C.
Manitoba RCMP say their emergency response, crisis negotiation and air services teams, as well as a canine unit, have been deployed to the region, along with RCMP North District resources. The RCMP major crime unit is involved, along with other police departments from Western Canada and the Ontario Provincial Police.
Courchaine wouldn’t say how large the police presence is, nor the size of the remote, isolated area being searched.
She acknowledged the rough, swampy terrain complicates police efforts.
“I think it’s tough. It’s challenging terrain. It’s vast, it’s dense,” she said. “The police officers that are up there are trained for these types of situations.”
She said if the suspects are spotted, they should not be approached under any circumstances. People should instead call 911 immediately, or call local RCMP. The phone number for Gillam RCMP is 204-652-2200, while those in the Thompson, Man., area can call 204-677-6911.
“As you can appreciate, this is a dynamic and unfolding situation,” Courchaine told reporters. “I understand that people have many questions and we commit to providing answers as soon as we can.”