Teens initially believed missing are suspects in Canadian highway murders, police confirm
Two teens, initially believed missing, are now suspects in the murders of Lucas Fowler, his girlfriend Chynna Deese and an unidentified man.
Two teens who vanished from a Canadian Highway are now considered suspects in the murders of Australian Lucas Fowler and his American girlfriend Chynna Deese after the couple’s bodies were found last Monday.
Lifelong friends Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, were initially believed to be missing after their burnt-out pick-up truck was found abandoned on Highway 37 in northern British Columbia.
But Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) today confirmed they’re now believed to be on the run.
The suspects are wanted in connection with the deaths of the young couple as well as an unidentified man, in his 50s or 60s, found about two kilometres from their burning pick-up truck on Highway 37 on Friday, according to the RCMP.
“We are asking the public: if you spot Kam or Bryer, consider them dangerous,” Sergeant Janelle Shoihet said during a press conference from the Lower Mainland on Tuesday.
“Take no action and immediately call 911.”
We are asking the public that if you spot Kam McLeod or Bryer Schmegelsky to consider them as dangerous - take no actions – do not approach – and call 911 immediately. pic.twitter.com/RdhBNVr5im
— BCRCMP (@BCRCMP) July 23, 2019
Sgt Shoihet told the Today show this morning that police received “new information” that upgraded the teens from “missing” to “suspects”.
“I can’t be specific with respect to how we’ve made those determinations, but I can say that investigators are confident in saying that rather than being missing, they are travelling elsewhere in Canada,” she said.
Police said the men had been spotted in northern Saskatchewan, were believed to still be travelling, and may have changed their appearances. They were last seen in a grey 2011 Toyota Rav 4.
They are now believed to have travelled further east to Manitoba, more than 1700km from where Mr Fowler and Ms Deese were murdered.
PUBLIC SAFETY - Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky MAY be in Manitoba and are considered dangerous. We have reasons to believe they were recently in the Gillam area. If you spot them - take no actions – do not approach – call 911 or your local police immediately. #rcmpmb pic.twitter.com/yh2yV78oZd
— RCMP Manitoba (@rcmpmb) July 23, 2019
The teens’ families said they hadn’t heard from them in days and that the pair had been travelling to Whitehorse from their homes in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island in search of work.
Schmegelsky’s father, Al, described the pair as “best friends” who met in primary school. He previously said in an interview that the boys recently graduated high school and had just spent five weeks working at Walmart.
Al Schmegelsky said his son and Mr McLeod were disappointed with the Walmart gig — their first jobs — so they decided to head off in search of something better up north.
“They’re just kids on an adventure. They’re good boys,” Al Schmegelsky said on Monday, one day before his son and his friend were named suspects.
The development comes a week after Mr Fowler, 23, and Ms Deese, 24, who were on a road trip to Alaska, were found dead on the side of Highway 97, 20km south of Liard River Hot Springs in British Columbia, on July 15.
Police later confirmed they were “victims of gun violence” whose bodies were left “unrecognisable”.
Authorities repeatedly dismissed the notion that a serial killer was on the loose after a third victim was found on Friday. The man’s body was found near a burnt-out truck six hours west of Liard Springs.
Earlier, police announced they were seeking a man seen arguing with Mr Fowler on the night before he was murdered.
The federal police agency released a sketch showing the man wearing a cap and a beard.
“I want to be clear this man is not a suspect. He’s a person with whom investigators wish to speak,” Sgt. Shoihet said.
“Today we’re asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a man seen speaking with Lucas on the evening of July 14 on Highway 97.
“He is caucasian, has dark skin and dark hair, is shorter than 6’3” and has a possible beard and glasses.
“He was driving an older model Jeep Cherokee with a black stripe on the hood and was believed to have been travelling southbound.”
As well as a composite sketch of their “person of interest”, police on Monday released haunting CCTV footage of the last time Mr Fowler and Ms Deese were seen together.
The vision, captured a petrol station, shows the couple hugging as Mr Fowler fills the van with petrol.
Officers at the press conference — which was attended by Lucas’s father, NSW Police Inspector Stephen Fowler — were peppered with questions from frustrated members of the local media about why there has been so little information about the investigation.
“Why can’t you give us an indication of how he died?” one reporter asked in relation to the third victim, found near a burnt-out car.
“The public is wondering what is going on. They’re not getting answers from you. Why can’t you give us an idea about whether there is a linkage (between the three deaths)? Is there a serial killer? People have the right to know.”
But police would not go into detail. They would not confirm whether the third victim was murdered or how he died.
Stephen Fowler answered questions at the press conference. He described the slaying as the “worst ever love story”.
“We have two young people who had everything before them,” he said.
Mr Fowler said his family was “taking it a day at a time” and that “it’s extremely difficult for all of us — we just hope to take a breath.”
Asked if he was satisfied about the speed of the investigation, he said he had no complaints.
“I know there’s been a lot of speculation. As an experienced police officer I know how these investigations go. I’m more than comfortable with the commitment of all the officers working on this case.”
Mr Fowler and Ms Deese were found a short distance from the blue 1986 Chevrolet van they were travelling in on Monday morning.
The third body was found a short distance up the road next to a burnt out vehicle. But in a bizarre twist, it was later revealed the man was not the vehicle’s owner and that two teens — Mr McLeod and Mr Schmegelsky — travelling in that vehicle were missing.
In a statement, the Dease Lake Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they have been unable to locate the pair.
“It is unclear at this time how this deceased male might be connected with vehicle fire or the two missing men,” police said in an earlier statement.
“At this time, investigators are sharing information and police would like to ensure awareness around both investigations.
“The RCMP would ask the public to continue to take any general safety precautions and remain vigilant at this time.”
Passing motorists Curtis and Sandra Broughton were the last people to see Mr Fowler and Ms Deese alive. The Canadian couple stopped to offer assistance just before 3.30pm on Sunday.
Mr Broughton, a mechanic, said he spoke to Mr Fowler, but the 23-year-old seemed to know how to fix the van.
“The vehicle was flooded out and they were going to try and get it going again until they could get the parts they needed,” Mr Broughton told AAP.
The Broughtons got back in their car and drove home.
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