Winnipeg police chief says he advocated for landfill search for remains of murdered women

Bartley Kives · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 13, 2025 4:22 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

Winnipeg constabulary Chief Gene Bowers says he advocated for a landfill search when of the constabulary work was deliberating whether to behaviour excavations to find the remains of 2 First Nations women murdered by a serial killer.

Bowers, who was sworn successful arsenic constabulary main successful March, said Friday that erstwhile helium served arsenic lawman main successful complaint of investigations for the Winnipeg Police Service, helium spoke successful favour of searching the Prairie Green landfill northbound of Winnipeg for the remains of Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris.

Myran, 26, and Harris, 39, were primitively from Long Plain First Nation, westbound of Winnipeg. They were among 4 First Nations women murdered by serial slayer Jeremy Skibicki successful aboriginal 2022.

The constabulary work opted not to behaviour a hunt astatine Prairie Green aft investigators concluded in 2022 that the remains of the 2 women were transported to the privately run landfill.

The remains of some Harris and Myran were located successful the landfill successful March 2025, pursuing a hunt commissioned by the provincial NDP government.

In effect to a question astir his relation successful the determination making astir the search, Bowers said helium ever supported it.

"There was a dependable astatine the array that thought that we should search," helium said, clarifying he was that voice. 

"There were other things to see regarding that. Obviously, that wasn't what occurred, but the work arsenic a full has ever been supportive of a humanitarian hunt for the remains, and that is thing that I've been progressive with."

Skibicki was convicted successful July 2024 of four counts of first-degree murder in the killings of Myran, Harris, Rebecca Contois — a 24-year-old subordinate of O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation — and a then unidentified pistillate known arsenic Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, oregon Buffalo Woman. She has since been identified arsenic Ashlee Shingoose, a 30-year-old from St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation.

Bowers succeeded erstwhile Winnipeg constabulary main Danny Smyth, who retired from the constabulary work successful 2024. Smyth has not responded to requests for remark since the remains of Myran and Harris were located in March.

Bowers said helium is committed to advancing reconciliation successful Winnipeg and is successful the process of hiring an outer advisor to counsel the constabulary work connected reconciliation and different issues related to taste sensitivities.

Bowers said helium has a advisor successful caput for the job, but the paperwork has not been signed and helium cannot divulge a fund for the sole-sourced contract.

Bowers said among different tasks, the advisor volition assistance the work with collecting race-based information involving police interactions. Social activists person requested the constabulary cod this data, particularly erstwhile it pertains to the usage of force.