Police pursuit of Manitoba homicide suspect ends with vehicle in flames, body found on ATV trail: RCMP

A Winnipeg man is facing a first-degree murder charge after a weekend pursuit with police that ended in a vehicle going up in flames.

Steinbach RCMP say they got a call Saturday at around 1:40 p.m. indicating there had been a homicide. Mounties say they responded to a home on Creekside Drive in Steinbach to investigate. However, the suspect had already driven away in his vehicle.

After further investigation, officers believed the deceased victim was in the vehicle, as well.

RCMP say officers from multiple detachments including Steinbach, Sprague and Stonewall began an intensive search for the suspect. The Winnipeg Police Service also helped, as the suspect lived in the city.

Mounties say they eventually found the vehicle near La Broquerie, and conducted a traffic stop on Highway 52 west of town.

Officers say during the arrest, the suspect was safely taken into custody, but his vehicle caught on fire. It was extinguished by the local fire department and searched, but the victim’s body was not found.

Police said they received further information that led officers to a remote ATV trail in a rural area south of the community of Woodridge, where the body of a 20-year-old woman was found.

Family and friends say the woman is Mackaylah Gerard-Roussin who was missing since Thursday.

RCMP also confirmed the missing person case is connected to the homicide investigation and said the victim and suspect knew each other.

Gerard-Roussin attended Rossbrook House in Winnipeg and was later part of the staff.

In an online message, members of Rossbrook House said they are heartbroken, calling her a lovely young woman.

“We will always remember her as outgoing, smiling and singing at our Christmas parties,” the post said.

Road 58 East at Highway 210 was closed for some time on Sunday, with RCMP saying at the time it was due to an ongoing investigation.

Mounties say the suspect and victim were known to each other.

RCMP say Josh Benoit, 20, from Winnipeg was charged Sunday with first-degree murder.

He was remanded into custody, and was scheduled to appear in provincial court in Winnipeg on Aug. 29.

None of the allegations have been tested in court.

- With files from CTV's Dan Vadeboncoeur and Jeff Keele.