Fourth suspect charged in connection with death of 26-year-old man: Winnipeg police

RCMP investigate the scene where human remains were found in the RM of Woodlands on March 31, 2022 (CTV News Photo Ken Gabel)

A fourth person has been arrested in connection with the death of 26-year-old Brandon Brust, whose remains were found outside of Winnipeg earlier this year.

The investigation began on Feb. 11, 2022, when the Selkirk RCMP asked the Winnipeg Police Service to help with a missing person investigation. Brust, as well as an unnamed 22-year-old woman, were reported missing from Scanterbury and believed to be in Winnipeg.

On Feb. 13, Brust’s car was found parked in Winnipeg in the 600 block of Selkirk Avenue.

Then on Feb. 14, Winnipeg police officers said they went to a “known drug house” in the 400 block of Pritchard Avenue for the report of suspicious circumstances. Officers found several people inside the home, including a 22-year-old woman who had been seriously assaulted.

The woman was taken to the hospital and the rest of the people in the house were detained. Police note that one of the people who was detained was determined to be the 22-year-old woman who was missing from Scanterbury.

The Winnipeg police’s major crimes unit investigated and determined that Brust went to this Pritchard Avenue home on Feb. 11. Police allege that while he was there, he was attacked and killed.

Officers said Brust’s remains were removed from the house and taken to another location.

Police allege that a woman present during this incident was seriously assaulted, adding that another woman was threatened and forcibly confined at the scene. Officers said one of the females was also sexually assaulted.

On March 30, Brust’s remains were found near Road 79 North in the RM of Woodlands.

Three adults were initially charged in connection to the homicide; Kenneth Andrew Edwards,29, was charged with second-degree murder, while Billie Erin Kozub, a 38-year-old woman and Emily Rae Fontaine, an 18-year-old woman, were both charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

In a news release, police said they had identified a fourth suspect and issued a warrant for her arrest.

On Sept. 9, RCMP found the suspect in The Pas after an incident where she allegedly threatened a family member. She was arrested and taken to Winnipeg for processing.

Kayla Josephine Bercier, 23, has been charged with accessory after the fact to murder, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, and two counts of failing to comply with a condition of a release order.

She was taken into custody.

The charges against all four suspects haven’t been proven in court.