Three charged after man's remains found outside of Winnipeg last month: police

Three people have been charged after a 26-year-old man’s remains were found outside of Winnipeg last month.

Winnipeg police officers said they received a call from Selkirk RCMP on Feb. 11 to help find Brandon Brust and a 22-year-old woman, who were both reported missing from Scanterbury and believed to be in Winnipeg. Two days later, Brust’s vehicle was found in Winnipeg parked along the 600 block of Selkirk Avenue.

On Feb. 14, police said they responded to a report of suspicious circumstances at a “known drug house” in the 400 block of Pritchard Avenue. Several people were found in the home, including a 22-year-old woman who was seriously assaulted. She was taken to hospital. The remaining people in the home were detained, and police said one of the people detained was the woman reported missing with Brust.

Winnipeg police allege Brust attended the home on Pritchard Avenue on Feb. 11 and was attacked and killed, with his remains being removed from the home and moved to another location. Police also allege a woman was seriously assaulted in the home, and another woman was threatened and forcibly confined at the scene. Police said one of the women was sexually assaulted.

On March 30, RCMP said human remains were found in the RM of Woodlands near Road 79 North, with a forensic analysis determining the identity to be Brust.

One man and two women have been charged in connection with the incident.

Kenneth Andrew Edwards, 29, has been charged with second-degree murder, sexual assault, forcible confinement and multiple firearms offences.

Billie Erin Kozub, 38, has been charged with accessory after the fact to murder and possession of a firearm. Emily Rae Fontaine, 18, has also been charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

All three remain in custody and none of the charges have been proven in court.

Police continue to investigate and say more people were likely involved in various aspects of the homicide. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the major crimes unit at 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477.