Jeremy Skibicki: Judge rejects attempt to drop one count of first-degree murder

A man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg has had his appeal dismissed by a judge just weeks before his trial was set to drop one of those murder charges.

Jeremy Skibicki has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Morgan Harris, Rebecca Contois, Marcedes Mairan and a fourth unidentified woman, identified as Buffalo Woman or Mashkode Bijikiikwe.

On Tuesday, Skibicki's attorneys said the count against the Buffalo woman should be dismissed because her body has not been found and she has not been identified.

His lawyers said the information should be declared “vulnerable” or legally invalid.

After hearing arguments from both the defense and the Crown, Chief Justice Glenn Joyal of the Crown Court dismissed the application saying “the count is not valid”.

A partial publication ban was imposed, allowing information about the movement to be shared, but not sharing any of the arguments discussed.

Skibicki pleaded not guilty to all four counts of first-degree murder.

Contois' remains were found at the Brady Landfill in June 2022, and the remains of Mayran and Harris are believed to be at the Prairie Green Landfill. The whereabouts of Buffalo Woman's remains are unknown.

In March, the federal and provincial governments agreed to provide $20 million each to fund the search for Prairie Green.

Skibicki's trial is expected to begin at the end of the month.