Kam McLeod And Bryer Schmegelsky Went From Missing To Suspects In Murders Of 3 On Canadian Highway — Where Are They?
Fugitives always go to Canada when they have nowhere else Toronto.
Within days of each other, three suspicious deaths and two disappearances took place. Australian Lucas Fowler, 23, and American Chynna Deese, 24, were found shot dead on Monday on an Alaka highway just 20km south of Liard Hot Springs in British Columia. Separately, Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, were reported missing after their burning truck was discovered on Friday near the town of Dease Lake in British Columbia, 500km south on the same road. Then, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, while searching for McLeod and Schmegelsky, the body of a third victim in his 50s or 60s was found 2km down the road from the charred truck, leading officials to consider the two teenagers suspects in the three murders. What else is there to know about these boys? Who are Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky?
1. McLeod and Schmegelsky are from Port Alberni, British Columbia.
CBC News says the two have been friends since elementary school, and both worked at a local Walmart. According to RCMP spokesperson Janelle Shoihet, McLeod is approximately six feet, four inches tall, with dark hair and facial hair, and Schmegelsky is described as having “a similar physique with sandy brown hair.” The Guardian reports that they left their hometown together on July 12th to look for work in the Yukon. On an unknown date, the pair arrived in Whitehorse, Yukon, but left shortly thereafter. On July 19th, their burnt-out truck was found near Dease Lake.
2. They have since been spotted in northern Saskatchewan.
Shoihet said in a news conference that the pair were seen driving a grey 2011 Toyota RAV 4 in northern Saskatchewan, although she didn’t say exactly when or where. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) shared more specifically that they were spotted in Meadow Lake. Their burnt-out car was found near the town of Gillam, Manitoba, roughly a 14-hour drive from Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan.
3. The road on which Deese and Fowler were found is apparently a popular murder spot.
The Australian Daily Telegraph speculates that the couple fell victim to a serial killer because as many as 50 women have vanished along that stretch of highway since 1970 and the road is close to an area known as the “Highway of Tears.” Deese’s brother Dwayne, though, told the Charlotte Observer that the family place much weight on the serial killer suspicion. “I don’t think it’s a serial killer. I think of someone who has been convicted of violent crimes before, someone on drugs. That fits the profile better. What worries us is that person is still on the loose and they have a head start. This is going to happen again. There needs to be some kind of a warning system in place for tourists.” False serial killer stereotypes aside (has he heard of Ted Bundy?), he is right about the danger of the culprits still being on the loose.
4. McLeod's father described his son as a “big gaming nerd” and Schmegelsky as “somewhat shy.”
Naturally, Keith McLeod, Kam’s father, called his son “a kind, considerate, caring young man [who] always has been concerned about other people’s feelings.” McHale described him as “a big gaming nerd and a happy person” who was mostly into fantasy games like League of Legends. He said McLeod “didn’t have a lot of friends” but “was really funny.” He described Schmegelsky as really quiet with people. He was really loud spoken in his friend group but pretty quiet in general.”
5. Shoihet says police are hopeful that they’re alive.
At a media briefing in Surrey, B.C., Shoihet said, “We are hopeful that they are alive. We’re certainly investigating them as missing persons and we’re hopeful that they will get in touch with us when they see this broadcast.” She also said, “It’s unusual to have two major investigations undergoing of this nature in northern B.C. at the same time.” Police are keeping in mind the possibility that the investigations could be linked.
6. Sightings across the northern Prairie Provinces have confirmed they are still on the move.
“We believe they are likely continuing to travel, though we don’t have a possible destination,” Shoihet shared with reporters. The two boys are considered dangerous. Another RCMP spokesperson, Dawn Roberts, told Global News earlier this week, “Kam and Bryer have periodically connected with family and friends over the past week, and it is possible that they are now in area without cell coverage. However, we have found their vehicle, and have not been able to locate either of them at this time. We are asking for Kam or Bryer to connect with police right away and let us know you are OK. Or, we ask that anyone who may have spoken to or seen them over the last few days to call police so we can get a better understanding as to where they might be or their plans.”
Leah Scher is an ENFP finishing her degree at Brandeis University. She's an alumna of the Kenyon Review Young Writer's Workshop the Iowa Young Writers' Studio. She's passionate about Judaism, poetry, film, satire, astrology, spirituality, and sexual health.