Manitoba Initiates New Search at Brady Road Landfill for Missing Indigenous Women

Post by : Mina Rahman

Manitoba is set to commence a significant search at Winnipeg's Brady Road landfill on Monday, marking a renewed attempt to locate the remains of two Indigenous women associated with different serial killers. Specialized teams, having completed training this week, are prepared for what is expected to be an intricate and sensitive endeavor.

Initially, efforts will concentrate on Ashlee Shingoose, one of four women murdered by Jeremy Skibicki in 2022, currently serving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years. Shingoose wasn’t identified during Skibicki's trial and was referred to by the Indigenous community as Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe—Buffalo Woman. Following the trial, her identity was confirmed through interviews and DNA testing, leading investigators to conclude her remains likely ended up at Brady Road.

Subsequent to this phase, the province will shift focus to Tanya Nepinak, who disappeared in September 2011. Nepinak was last seen on September 13, telling her mother she was going out for pizza. Police later informed the family that they suspect she was murdered by Shawn Lamb, who has a history of homicide convictions. There are long-standing suspicions that Nepinak's remains may be somewhere within the landfill.

To guide this new initiative, the province conducted a preliminary test in August, excavating a small area and deploying ground-penetrating radar to assess underground conditions. This initial work has helped to refine the search area and plan the necessary equipment and techniques.

This search follows earlier successful efforts at the Prairie Green landfill, where the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, also victims of Skibicki, were recovered this year. These cases, alongside that of Rebecca Contois, whose partial remains were discovered at Brady Road in 2022, formed the foundation of the prosecution against Skibicki, who reportedly targeted women in vulnerable situations and disposed of their bodies in trash collected and sent to landfills.

Although the provincial government has refrained from commenting ahead of Monday's start, it has previously committed to taking all reasonable actions to assist families in finding their missing loved ones. For the families of Shingoose and Nepinak, this renewed search embodies a complex blend of hope and grief, coupled with the potential for long-desired revelations. While officials have not disclosed a timeline for the operation, the extensive preparation indicates a comprehensive and well-managed search.