Canadian police name two missing teens as suspects in murder of Australian Lucas Fowler and his girlfriend Chynna Deese

The duo wanted over the murders of Lucas Fowler and his girlfriend enjoyed simulated war games.

The teenage suspects in the murders of Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese enjoyed simulated war games involving hunting and camouflage, a family member says.

Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, was a “smart kid” who was also into computer games, was curious about his ancestry and “probably got lost in the woods” with friend Kam McLeod, 19.

Schmegelsky’s father, Al, made the comments before Canadian police sensationally declared that the two teens were suspects in the murders of Mr Fowler, from Sydney, and his girlfriend Ms Deese, an American, and in the death of another man.

He said neither was violent or used drugs. “They’re best friends who did everything together,” Mr Schmegelsky told the Vancouver Sun. “They even got jobs together at Walmart. They were just out on an adventure. These kids are smart. If they sensed any kind of danger, they would have gone into the woods and hid. With no cell phones and no GPS, they probably got lost in the woods.”

In a dramatic twist to the double murder investigation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police this morning warned that Schmegelsky and McLeod should be considered dangerous and that they should not be approached.

Security camera images recorded in Saskatchewan of Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, are displayed as Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt. Janelle Shoihet listens during a news conference in British Columbia.

The two teens are also wanted in connection to the death of another man, whose body was found on Friday in a rest stop about 2km from an abandoned pickup truck that Schmegelsky and McLeod had been driving.

The truck was found on fire on Highway 37, about 470km from where Mr Fowler, 23, and Ms Deese, 24, were found shot dead in a ditch on the Alaska Highway five days earlier, on Monday, July 15. Mr Fowler and Ms Deese had been on a road trip to Alaska when their blue 1986 Chevrolet van broke down.

Initially it may have appeared a stretch to connect the events. But the Royal Canadian Mounted Police had said it was possible they were linked, and made a public appeal to help find Schmegelsky and McLeod, who had in recent days dropped out of contact with family.

Investigators had said they were exchanging information about the different events as they tried to locate Schmegelsky and McLeod, who are from Port Alberni in British Columbia and were thought to have been looking for work.

Mr Schmegelsky, separated from Bryer’s mother, said the last time he saw his son was on June 28. He learned the boys were missing through a newspaper article.

 

“No one contacted me,” he said. “But they should have. I shouldn’t be sitting in Starbucks seeing my kid’s picture.”

Schmegelsky’s grandmother Carol Starkey said they left Port Alberni for Whitehorse on July 12 in search of work. He’d lived with Ms Starkey for the past two years.

“He was a great kid. I really enjoyed having him,” she told the paper.

He was last in touch with Ms Starkey on July 13 or 14. Whitehorse hadn’t worked out as expected, so the two friends moved on.

Walmart employees had been told not to talk to reporters, and the company had not responded to a request for comment, US media reported.

“I never heard from anyone, coworkers, friends in town, that they were bad kids,” an acquaintance told CTV News.

“I just met them a couple times, seen (them) at hockey and around town, they seemed nice.”

The station reported that the community of Port Alberni, which has a population of about 18,000, had been rocked by teens being declared suspects.

“It’s just been difficult for the community for sure with reasonably limited information to go off of,” said Port Alberni Mayor Shari Minions.

“Definitely surprised. That’s not the outcome we were expecting or hoping for … our focus goes now to how can we support the families of the victim and of the boys.”

A photo on Schmegelsky’s Facebook page in 2015 reads: “Guns don’t kill people, it’s mostly the bullets.” McLeod’s Facebook account uses an image of a skull.

Police said the teenagers — both six-foot-four — had been spotted in northern Saskatchewan and were last seen in a grey 2011 Toyota RAV 4. They may have changed vehicles or their appearances.

“If you spot Bryer or Kam, consider them dangerous. Do not approach. Take no action and call immediately 911,” RCMP Sgt Janelle Shoihet said.

“The RCMP are now considering Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky as suspects in the Dease Lake suspicious death and the double homicide of Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese.”

Australian Lucas Fowler, left, and his 24-year-old American girlfriend Chynna Deese poses for a selfie.

The RCMP originally played down speculation of a crime spree linking the murders of Mr Fowler and Ms Deese to Friday’s discovery of the body, the missing teenagers and the burning Dodge pickup.

Authorities are yet to identify the dead body found near the burning Dodge. The teens are believed to be driving a grey 2011 Toyota RAV4.

Mr Fowler’s family travelled from Australia, with his father Stephen Fowler telling reporters yesterday, “We are just distraught.” “I may be an experienced police officer, but today I’m standing here as the father of the murder victim,” said Fowler, a senior police inspector in New South Wales.

“Our son, Lucas, was having the time of his life travelling the world. He met a beautiful young lady and they teamed up. They were a great pair and they fell in love,” he said.

“It’s the worst-ever love story. Because we now have two young people who had everything ahead of them, tragically murdered.”

A sketch released by The Royal Canadian Mounted Police on Monday of the man who was seen by a passerby talking to Lucas Fowler.

Police yesterday released an image of a bearded man driving a Jeep Cherokee who was seen by a passerby talking to Mr Fowler on a remote highway in northern British Columbia a week ago.

The man who was seen talking to Mr Fowler was described “as Caucasian with darker skin and dark hair”. His Jeep has black pinstriped on the bonnet.

“He’s shorter than Lucas who stood six foot three (190cm) and has a possible beard or glasses,” said Sergeant Shoihet.

The RCMP also released video of Mr Fowler and Ms Deese stopping for fuel at a petrol station at Fort Nelson, BC, the day before their murders in the hope it encourages members of the public to come forward with information. The video depicts how in love the couple is, with Mr Fowler and Ms Deese engaging in an affectionate hug after filling up their van.

CCTV of Lucas Fowler and partner Chynna Dees at a petrol station in Fort Nelson on July 13.

With AAP, AP