Two teen suspects in the Canada highway triple slayings may have fled the search zone with the help of an unsuspecting stranger as a major manhunt ramps up in the wilderness, according to authorities.
Lifelong friends Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, are accused of going on a murderous rampage which claimed the lives of Australian Lucas Fowler, 23 and his American girlfriend Chynna Deese, 24, who were gunned down on a lonely road in British Columbia last week. Canadian man Leonard Dyck, 64, was also murdered a few hundred kilometres away on the notorious stretch.
Since Tuesday, the village of Gillam near Hudson Bay in the country's north has been on the alert for the pair. The fugitives are believed to have wound up in the area, after an epic 3200km chase across three provinces that began in British Columbia, on the Pacific coast, where their three victims were discovered earlier this month.
SWAT teams, tactical assault vehicles, drones, helicopters and sniffer dogs have descended on the remote town and appeared to be closing in on the teens but there are now fears they may have already left the area. Police consider the Canadian teens to be armed and dangerous and have warned the population not to approach them if spotted.
In a statement today, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said McLeod and Schmegelsky "may have changed their appearance and inadvertently been given assistance to leave the area by someone that was not aware of who they were".
"If anyone out there is hesitant to come forward — it is crucial for you call police immediately," the statement continued.
"To restate, there have been no confirmed sightings outside of the Gillam area, however we remain open to the possibility."
RCMP spokeswoman Julie Courchaine said "investigators will conduct door-to-door canvases in the town of Gillam in hopes of generating new tips" over the next 72 hours.
Speaking to news.com.au, Chynna Deese's brother British Deese said the ordeal was taking a huge toll on his family.
It is critical that all Canadians remain on the lookout for Kam McLeod & Bryer Schmegelsky. If seen, do not approach, call 911 or local police immediately. #rcmpmb https://t.co/vBjHaJbT26
— RCMP Manitoba (@rcmpmb) July 26, 2019
Deese said his family was "worn out" trying to come to terms with the tragic loss of his sister.
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