RCMP search for Manitoba homicide suspect zeroes in on Whiteshell Provincial Park
The RCMP has zeroed in on Whiteshell Provincial Park in the search for a fugitive wanted for homicide.
Eric Wildman, 34, is a suspect in the recent disappearance and suspected death of his neighbour Clifford Joseph in the R.M. of St. Clements.
Wildman remains at large and officers have warned he may be armed and dangerous and shouldn’t be approached.
The last confirmed sighting of a vehicle police believe he’s been driving – a 2020 Chevy Equinox – was on Highway 44 near Whitemouth, Man. as it headed east towards the Whiteshell.
The RCMP said officers from across southern Manitoba are involved in the search and that it’s pulling out all the stops to find Wildman.
On Thursday, there was a noticeable RCMP presence in the Whiteshell, with multiple specialized units on the ground and in the air.
It put some park users looking for a peaceful getaway on alert.
“It was kind of strange,” said hiker Chad Ferens. “I completely forgot about it until I saw the tactical unit and then I kind of realized, yeah, it’s a manhunt.”
Wildman’s neighbour Clifford Joseph, 40, disappeared Jun. 7 and police suspect he is dead.
Investigators said Wildman was captured on surveillance cameras in Winnipeg on the evening of Friday June 11. First at Lowe’s home improvement store on Panet Road and then at the airport, where officers said he rented the Equinox with Manitoba license plate KGE 368.
“So that’s what we’re going with,” said Sgt. Laura LeDrew, with RCMP Major Crime Services. “The sighting (Wednesday) was credible. It was the vehicle. So we have to go with what we know right now.”
It’s a vehicle investigators said was first spotted Tuesday night in the Lockport area. Officers said it was seen again on Wednesday night near Whitemouth around 7 p.m. heading east on Highway 44 towards the Whiteshell and the Manitoba/Ontario border.
“We reached out to our partners in Ontario Provincial Police at Kenora, they met us halfway,” said LeDrew. “They were manning the border there. Great communication. We scoured the area. It was getting dark; we had our plane up. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to confirm another sighting.”
The last confirmed sighting of the vehicle is about 100 kilometres southeast of Wildman’s home near Stead in the R.M. of St. Clements. That’s where police found Joseph’s abandoned truck near Wildman’s place on June 7 and some of his belongings on or near Wildman’s driveway but they still haven’t found Joseph’s body.
Police also recovered a vehicle belonging to Wildman June 11, searched it June 13 and found firearms and police-related clothing and tactical equipment but they’re not sure if he has access to more gear.
Whiteshell Provincial Park camper Leanne Zoroneck said she’s not worried but is staying cautious, watching for anything suspicious.
“I’ve been looking for the vehicle and keeping an eye out,” said Zoroneck. “We’re a close-knit community and we take care of one another and I think the word could spread quickly if it had to.”
Joseph had been living in a home which at one time belonged to 66-year-old Vernon Karl Otto.
Otto disappeared under suspicious circumstances in 2018. He’s never been found but police would only say that case remains under investigation.
In another twist to the search, RCMP said they’re aware Wildman’s late father when he was 14 shot and injured a Mountie west of Virden during a vehicle pursuit in 1962.
“It hasn’t factored into our response,” said LeDrew. “It’s a fact. We have to realize it and understand it but it doesn’t change our response to this whatsoever.”
The RCMP said officers on Thursday did respond to a vehicle similar to the description of the one Wildman is believed to be driving. Police said they investigated the parked vehicle just southwest of the Whiteshell along Highway 1 and determined it wasn’t the one they’re looking for.
The RCMP believes Wildman’s alone. Police said they don’t know if he has any connection to the Whiteshell but they said anyone with information should contact RCMP at 431-489-8551. If you see Wildman, who’s described as six-foot-two, 170 pounds, or the vehicle, call 911.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.