Memorial held for Canadian murder victim Lucas Fowler

The death of an Aussie tourist and hunt for his killers has made global news, but one detail repeated in news stories was deliberately left out at his funeral.

Hundreds of people have gathered at a Sydney service to remember slain Aussie tourist Lucas Fowler.

There was a heavy police presence outside the Turramurra church on Sydney’s Upper North Shore where heartbroken friends and family will say their goodbyes at the memorial service.

Lucas Fowler — the son of a senior NSW Police officer — and his American girlfriend, Chynna Deese, were shot dead more than two weeks ago on a British Columbia highway.

The details of the tragic circumstances surrounding Lucas and Chynna’s deaths and the ongoing search for their suspected murderers have made global news, but during the service these details were deliberately not touched on.

At the beginning of the service Reverend Phil Swain noted on behalf of the family that the funeral would focus on celebrating Lucas’s life rather than the tragic reason it had been ended.

Lucas’s father Steven Fowler told those gathered he and his family never had a chance to meet Chynna, but “she stole Lucas’s heart and she became part of our family,” he said.

Steven Fowler reflected on how happy his son had been preparing the van for the couple’s tragic trip.

“They were full of happiness and joy just being together,” he said.

“We are so happy that they found each other and had such a great time travelling together. They touched the hearts of everyone they met. Lucas lived a life that many of us envy.

“He met the love of his life and was at his happiest. Chynna’s mother tells us she wanted their kids to have an Aussie accent.

“Lucas thank you for being part of our lives. We will always love you.”

Steven Fowler recounted the story behind this photo.

He also told a funny anecdote about the photo of Lucas with ice in his beard.

“He sent me that iconic photograph with ice in his beard,” Steven said.

“He texted: This is what happens when you are out checking fences on a snowmobile in -36C.

“I replied: ‘Easy way to get a haircut. Just snap it off’.

Speaking about preparing the van for trip with Chynna, Steven said Lucas would send him dimensions and photos as it was coming together.

Throughout the service family and friends of Lucas joked how he always wore the same clothes.

“He was either always in a white T-shirt or a flannelette top,” his dad said.

His mum recalled how it was nearly impossible trying to get him to buy new clothes. As a touching tribute to Lucas, his friends all wore different coloured flannelette shirts in his honour. They hugged each other and cried on stage as they took turns speaking about their memories with Lucas.

The memorial service at Turramurra Uniting Church is a ‘celebration of the life of Lucas Robertson Fowler’.

Close friend Cody spoke of the moment he first met Chynna.

“Late one night Lucas jumped on my bed and started to have a chat about how he really likes her. They were both as wild as each other and didn’t have a care in the world. It was like seeing two Lucases. As scary as that sounds, it was beautiful,” he said.

“They were young but their lives were full. Lucas used to say to me all the time ‘what’s a life worth living if you’re not living on the edge.’”

Words from Lucas’s sister Savannah, on behalf of his siblings, were read by the Reverend.

“As children we were always close. We were often mistaken as twins. We were the best of friends as children and as adults,” she wrote.

“I would randomly message Lucas when he was away and tell him I missed him and he would tell me he missed me too. He would often say how he missed all of us.

“Knowing Lucas found a soulmate in Chynna gives us great comfort. We have been learning more about her and the beautiful girl she was.

“Our dearest baby brother, we will forever carry a hole in our hearts with the knowledge you are gone. Lucas you will never be forgotten and you will always be our baby brother. We love you may you rest in peace you beautiful soul.”

Ahead of today’s memorial, Mr Fowler’s sister, Savannah took to Facebook to inform wellwishers that her family wasn’t endorsing any crowd-funding for themselves (despite many offers of support).

The family has asked that those wanting to donate flowers or money instead give to charity. “We would ask that instead, you consider donating to a charity close to your heart and that you notate the donation ‘for Lucas and Chynna’,” they shared on Facebook.

The young couple met in a hostel in Croatia and had been travelling the world together. Picture: Family handout/AFP

Another man, botanist Leonard Dyck, was also murdered in the same area as Mr Fowler and his girlfriend. The Fowler family took to Facebook to offer their condolences to Mr Dyck’s family and to pay tribute to their “darling boy and his beautiful Chynna”.

“To lose someone so young and vibrant, who was travelling the world and just enjoying life to the full, is devastating,” they shared. “Our deepest thanks for all your love and care.”

‘Our consolation is that Lucas had found a soulmate in Chynna Deese’, the Fowler family shared in a Facebook post. Picture: Supplied

The manhunt for the suspected killers — Kam McLeod, 18, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 19 — has been scaled back after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police spent eight days searching the town of Gillam and surrounding wilderness in central Canada.

Despite dozens of officers, sniffer dogs and drones combing the remote towns — about 90km apart — there was no trace found of the pair.

“The heavy police presence in York Landing has been withdrawn and policing resources in the community will return to normal. The RCMP thanks the community for their patience and understanding,” police said in a statement on Wednesday.

RCMP resources remain in the Gillam area and will continue to conduct searches in high probability areas for any signs of the suspects. The search of remote areas is being conducted both on foot and in the air. #rcmpmb pic.twitter.com/3QCPrQ4Tpw

— RCMP Manitoba (@rcmpmb) July 30, 2019

Investigators have now received over 260 tips in the past 7 days. None have established that the suspects are outside of the Gillam area. However, #rcmpmb continues to remind the public that it is possible the suspects inadvertently received assistance & are no longer in the area

— RCMP Manitoba (@rcmpmb) July 30, 2019

McLeod and Schmegelsky as they appear in their wanted poster, issued on July 23 — some 24 hours after they were let go by a First Nations officer unaware of their murder suspect status. Picture: Alberta RCMP/AFP

The Sydney memorial service for Mr Fowler, 23, will be held at the Turramurra Uniting Church before noon today.

Ms Deese, 24, was farewelled by loved ones at a service at New City Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, a few days ago.

Mr Fowler and Ms Deese were on the road trip of a lifetime when they were killed. Picture: Deese Family via AP

The program given to family and friends at a Celebration of Life service for Ms Deese at New Hope Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Picture: Angus Mordant

The couple met at a hostel in Croatia two years ago and were on a road trip across Canada when they were murdered.

Mr Fowler’s family said after his July 15 death they’d lost a dear son, brother, grandson and friend in the “most terrible of circumstances”.

- with AAP