The families of the serial killer’s victims are pushing for landfills as the trial ends

WINNIPEG — Dozens of people, many dressed in red, held hands as they formed a round dance in the streets outside Winnipeg courthouses on the final day of the trial of an admitted serial killer.

In the center of the circle, a group of women, including the sister of one of Jeremy Skibicki’s victims, sat together as they drummed and sang. Another victim’s daughter carried a shovel painted red with the words Search The Land Fill painted on it.

The families made it clear that while Skibicki’s trial is over, their fight to bring their loved ones home is far from over.

“My cousin needs to come home. It’s been over two years. I don’t even know why we’re still here,” Melissa Robinson, Morgan Harris’ cousin, told the media Monday afternoon.

Skibicki, 37, is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Harris, 39, and three other Native American women: Rebecca Contois, 24; Marcedes Myran, 26 years old; and an unidentified woman whom an indigenous community called Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, or Buffalo Woman.

His lawyers have admitted he committed the murders but argue he should be found not criminally responsible. A forensic psychiatrist for the defense testified that Skibicki was suffering from schizophrenia at the time of the murders.

The murders came to light after Contois’ partial remains were found in a trash can in the Skibicki neighborhood in May 2022. More of her remains were discovered in a city-run landfill the following month.

Harris and Myran’s remains are believed to be at another repository. The whereabouts of the remains of the Buffalo woman are unknown.

The case attracted worldwide attention after police announced they would not search the privately run Prairie Green landfill for Harris and Myran’s remains, citing safety concerns over toxic materials. This led the two families to take their fight to Parliament Hill and the steps of the Manitoba legislature.

The provincial and federal governments pledged $20 million to fund the search for the landfill in March after months of pushback from families and supporters across the country.

As the families asked to move the search outside the courtroom, lawyers inside presented closing arguments to Manitoba Court of King’s Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal and a gallery full of family members and supporters wearing ribbon skirts.

“The Illyrians drive a lot of what (Skibicki) does,” defense attorney Leonard Tailleur said at trial.

The court heard Skibicki told defense witness Dr Sohom Das that he felt compelled to kill the women because he was on a mission from God and heard auditory hallucinations that convinced him to kill.

Das testified that, in his assessment, Skibicki knew what he was doing at the time was legally wrong, but lacked the capacity to know it was morally wrong.

Prosecutors argued otherwise, presenting DNA, video surveillance and witness evidence to assert that Skibicki had the mental capacity and awareness to commit and cover up the crimes.

They characterized the killings as racially motivated and said Skibicki blasted women in homeless shelters before committing “vile sexual acts” on the corpses.

The Crown presented a court-appointed psychiatrist, Dr. Gary Chaimowitz, who told the court he believed Skibicki was driven to kill the women because he suffers from homicidal paraphiliac necrophilia disorder. People with this rare disorder, he said, are turned on by having sex with someone they’ve killed.

Chaimowitz also said Skibicki knew the killings were wrong.

Prosecutor Renee Lagimodiere said Skibicki’s desire for power and control was woven into all four murders.

“This is an individual who does not have schizophrenia. This is the end,” Lagimodiere said.

Harris’ daughter, Cambria Harris, said hearing the horrific horror of her mother’s death was one of the hardest times she’s ever had to live through.

“I thought she had to hide from the demons in her head, but she had to hide from the monsters on the street who targeted her and claimed to have schizophrenia.”

The court also heard that Skibicki’s computer included online searches for garbage collection times and other forensic information.

There was also a computer search for “definition of serial killer”.

Prosecutor Chris Vanderhooft told the court he had an answer.

— The answer, Mr. Skibicki, is you.

A spokesperson for the Contois family told reporters that the family has been through a long journey filled with grief and pain.

“After today and after the verdict was reached, it doesn’t stop there … this is going to be forever,” Travis Barsy said.

Following the depositions, Robinson said that if Joyal finds Skibicki guilty of first-degree murder, he will send a message.

“To show this country that it stops here. That our women are not garbage. They are not going to be dumped in landfills. We will not tolerate it anymore.”

The Harris family said after weeks of not hearing from the provincial government about next steps in the landfill search, they have a meeting with Premier Wab Kinew this week.

Kinew was questioned about the search at a separate event Monday, where he said the province would make a “significant” announcement after meeting with the families.

Joyal is expected to deliver his verdict on July 11.

The federal government has a hotline for those affected by the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls: 1-844-413-6649. The Hope for Wellness Helpline, with support in Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut, is also available to all Indigenous Canadians: 1-855-242-3310.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 10, 2024.

Brittany Hobson, Canadian Press