Canadian fugitives McLeod and Schmegelsky died in ‘suicide’

Canadian teens suspected of killing Lucas Fowler and his girlfriend died in “suicide”.

Murdered Australian Lucas Fowler and his girlfriend Chynna Deese.

Two Canadian teenagers suspected of murdering Australian Lucas Fowler and his American girlfriend Chynna Deese died in “suicides”, police say.

A huge manhunt for Bryer Schmegelsky and childhood friend Kam McLeod, both 19, ended with the discovery of their bodies in dense scrub near Gillam in remote Manitoba last week.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police today announced autopsies had confirmed their identities and cause of death.

“The RCMP can also confirm that the two died in what appears to be suicides,” a statement says.

“While both individuals were deceased for a number of days before they were found, the exact time and date of their deaths are not known.

“However, there are strong indications that they had been alive for a few days since last seen in July and during the extensive search efforts in the Gillam area.”

Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky had been on the run for three weeks. Picture: AFP.

Two firearms were found with the bodies of the teenagers. Forensic analysis was underway “to definitively confirm that these weapons are connected with the northern BC homicide investigations”.

Mr Fowler, 23, and Ms Deese, 24, were on a road trip to Alaska when their Chevrolet van broke down on Sunday, July 14.

Their bodies were found in a ditch the next morning on the Alaska Highway near Liard Hot Springs, British Columbia.

Mounties say they believe Schmegelsky and McLeod shot the couple dead and, four days later, killed a University of British Columbia lecturer, Leonard Dyck, 64.

Mr Dyck’s body was found in a rest stop near Dease Lake, 2km from a pick-up truck driven by the teenagers that was found on fire on Highway 37.

The teenagers stole Mr Dyck’s Toyota RAV4, later torching it near Gillam.

“The Manitoba RCMP have completed their search of the area were the two male bodies were discovered, approximately 8km from where Mr. Dyck’s burnt RAV4 was located on July 22, 2019,” the RCMP said.

“Investigators are now assessing all items located in Manitoba, along with the previous findings related to the three northern BC homicide investigations, in order to gain more clarity into what happened to Leonard Dyck, Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese.

“The assessment will review all the investigative findings to date, whether it is statements, evidentiary time lines, physical or digital evidence, and the BC RCMP have also have engaged our Behavioural Analysis Unit (BAU).

“The BC RCMP commits that once we have completed that review within the next few weeks, we will be providing the families with an update with respect to the totality of the investigations and then releasing the information publicly.”

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