Winnipeg man pleads guilty to killing 4 women, faces no criminal charges

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A man has admitted in court to killing four women in Winnipeg, but his lawyers are asking that he not be charged because of his mental illness.

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Crown Jury Chairman Glenn Joyal said on Monday that the question of Jeremy Skibicki's mental capacity and intent will now be the focus of the trial.

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Because of the complexity of this type of defense, which was supposed to be by jury, the Crown agreed that the judge would instead hear it alone.

Prosecutor Christian Vanderhooft said: “There are some difficulties in concluding this matter before a jury.”

The trial will begin on Wednesday.

Skibicki, 37, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder.

His lawyers last week demanded that the case be heard only before a judge. They argued that a jury trial would violate Skibicki's right to a fair trial because of the importance of pretrial publicity.

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Attorneys also expressed concern that jurors would be prejudiced by Skibicki's use of the non-criminal defense. They cited the results of a survey in which more than half of the respondents believed that Skibicki could not be prosecuted.

Skibicki's attorney, Leonard Tyler, said Monday they plan to call an expert to speak with the no-criminal defense.

“We're ready for anything … we're ready to go,” Tyler told reporters.

Acknowledgment of criminal liability means that the accused was unable to assess the nature and quality of the act due to mental disorder. The person will be detained in the hospital until the inspection commission determines that he is not a danger to society.

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The case began in 2022, when the partial remains of Rebecca Contois were found in a dumpster and in a city landfill.

The case quickly involved three more victims.

Police say the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Mayran are located at another private landfill outside the city, the Prairie Green Landfill.

The location of the fourth victim – an unidentified woman identified by local leaders as the Buffalo Woman – is unknown.

Harris' family said they were surprised by the revelations in court Monday, but were glad the trial was being held in front of a judge.

“This man killed four of our wives and he will be held responsible,” Harris' cousin Melissa Robinson said.

Nationwide protests erupted after police said they would not search the landfill, citing safety concerns over the complexity of the search for Harris and Mayran and the presence of toxic materials.

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Last month, the federal and Manitoba governments committed $40 million to search for the site.

Here's the timing of the case:

March 15, 2022 — Police say an unidentified woman was killed on or around this date.

May 1, 2022 – Morgan Harris, a Long Plain First Nation member living in Winnipeg, was last seen at Main Street and Henry Avenue, north of downtown. Police say a 39-year-old man was killed on or about this date.

May 4, 2022 – Police say 26-year-old Marcedes Mairan, also of the Long Plain First Nation and resident of Winnipeg, was killed on or around this date.

May 14 or 15, 2022 – Police believe Rebecca Contois, 24, of O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation, also known as Crane River, was killed on or around these dates.

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May 16, 2022 – Officers found Contois' partial remains in a dumpster near an apartment building. They are protecting the Brady Road Resource Management Facility, a managed landfill south of the city, where they believe there may be more waste. Police said the remains of Harris and Myran were taken to the privately operated Prairie Green Landfill north of Winnipeg that day.

May 18, 2022 – Skibicki is arrested and charged with first-degree murder in Contois' death. Officers searched his apartment in the area where his body was found.

May 19, 2022 — Police say remains found in a dumpster near the building belong to Contois.

June 2, 2022 — Police begin a search for the Brady landfill.

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June 20, 2022 – Police believe the remains of other victims are at the Prairie Green Landfill.

June 21, 2022 — Police say remains found at the Brady landfill belong to Contois.

December 1, 2022 — Police charge Skibicki with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Harris, Mayran and an unidentified woman. They said the unidentified woman was local and in her mid-20s. Local leaders later referred to her as Mashkode Bijikiikwe or Buffalo Woman.

December 2, 2022 — Skibicki appears in court and his attorney, Leonard Tyler Skibicki, maintains his innocence. Police Chief Danny Smith says the remains of Harris and Myran are believed to be at the Prairie Green Landfill, but says no search is planned because too much time has passed.

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December 6, 2022 — Police defend decision to refuse search of Prairie Green landfill. Harris' relatives have shared their frustrations and anger on Parliament Hill and say they are ready to do their own research.

December 8, 2022 — Operations at Prairie Green Landfill will cease while the Government of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg decide how to proceed. First Nation leaders are calling for the police chief to resign.

December 14, 2022 — Smith apologizes for his comments about not searching the landfill in a meeting with First Nations leaders and victims' families. The police should be part of a committee led by local people to investigate the feasibility of conducting a search.

May 12, 2023 – Study says landfill search is possible but could take up to three years and cost $184 million. Family members and local leaders say it should continue.

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July 5, 2023 – Manitoba's Progressive Conservative government says landfill exploration is too dangerous.

July 6, 2023 – Protesters at an encampment set up at the Brady Road Landfill begin blocking access to the site and demand that governments search the Prairie Green Landfill.

July 14, 2023 — A judge issues a temporary injunction to end the siege and says protesters can continue to protest but cannot block the road.

August 4, 2023 — Relatives of Harris and Myran meet with federal Royal-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangari. Later, they will dance in a round dance at a rally called to find a landfill. Other rallies will be held in the country.

August 9, 2023 — Manitoba's NDP vows to seek out if they win the upcoming provincial election in October.

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Jan. 26, 2024 — Searching could be done within a year and cost $90 million, but searchers face health risks from asbestos, according to another study.

March 8, 2024 – Family members and supporters of Harris and Myran gather outside the Manitoba legislature to call for a search.

March 22, 2024 – The federal and Manitoba governments say they will each spend $20 million to search for the landfill.

May 2, 2024 — Judge Skibicki's case is tried by a jury. The defense argued that jurors could be biased because of pretrial publicity.

May 6, 2024 – Skibicki's lawyers say he will admit to killing four women but will not face criminal charges because of mental illness. The Crown says the trial could be held without a jury because of the complexity of the defense.

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