Winnipeg serial killer handed four life sentences in murders of Indigenous women

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Convicted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki has been handed four life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years in the murders of four Indigenous women.

The 37-year-old man sat quiet and emotionless in the prisoner’s box of a Manitoba Court of King’s Bench courtroom Wednesday. He spoke only once when Chief Justice Glen Joyal asked if he had anything to say.

“No,” he said.

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In July, Skibicki was found guilty of murdering four Indigenous women: Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, Rebecca Contois and an unidentified victim given the name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe or Buffalo Woman.

The conviction carries with it an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years. That sentence was imposed on Skibicki for each of the four counts of first-degree murder. Joyal noted due to rulings by the Supreme Court of Canada these life sentences must be served concurrently rather than consecutively.

Crown prosecutors said this means Skibicki will be able to apply for parole when he is 60 years old.

"Make no mistake Mr. Skibicki, because of the current state of the law, the only available sentence that I can impose today will regrettably not adequately reflect the gravity of these offences," Joyal said.

During the trial, court heard how Skibicki preyed on these vulnerable Indigenous women at homeless shelters, and invited them back to his apartment and abused them, often sexually. Skibicki then killed each woman before defiling their bodies and disposing of them in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters.

"They were preyed upon and targeted by a white supremacist who was acting upon his homicidal necrophilia," Joyal said, adding Skibicki’s actions were racially motivated and driven by homicidal necrophilia – a sexual arousal to dead bodies.

'They were not garbage': Victims' families speak out

Before handing down the sentence, Joyal heard from the families of Harris, Myran and Contois, who told him of the living nightmare they have endured since the horrific murders two years ago.

"Do you know how many times I had to listen to how my mother was murdered in horrific detail?" Harris' youngest daughter Elle said. "And having to look at the monster who did it all – it's absolutely a horrific thing to go through."

She said this has left her with trauma, anxiety, depression and pain.

"Finally, I am left without my mother to help me get through it all," she said.

In total, 14 victim impact statements were read to the court from the victims' families along with First Nation representatives.

“Their lives matter. They were not garbage,” Contois’ sister Stephanie said in her victim impact statement read by her brother.

“You are a heartless evil monster," Contois’ aunt Valerie Moar told Skibicki. "You changed my life and what you did to my niece Rebecca Contois is unforgivable."

Among the victim impact statements, Grand Chief Cathy Merrick of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs told the court the killings have had a profound impact on First Nation communities in the province.

“The heinous crimes committed by Mr. Skibicki have left a deep scar on First Nations people and the reverberations of his actions will be felt for generations,” she said, adding it has taken an emotional and psychological toll, leading to a profound distrust and sense of vulnerability.

“Despite the overwhelming challenges, the community remains resilient.”

 Parole Board must 'see through that façade' of Jeremy Skibicki, Crown prosecutors say

Crown Prosecutor Chris Vanderhooft said no sentence the court can impose will be enough.

"Nothing we can do in this courtroom can ever punish him enough for his crimes. He is the personification of indignity and deserves every second that he will spend incarcerated," he said.

He noted the findings of the forensic psychiatrist who assessed Skibicki, finding him to be outwardly gentle and thoughtful – a display that could disarm any potential victims.

"We have to trust that the parole board will see through that façade and recognize the danger that he represents as a homicidal necrophiliac," Vanderhooft said.

A cheer erupted in the courtroom as sheriffs led Skibicki away, marking the end of the convicted serial killer's court case.

There is a support line available for those impacted by missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and LGBTQ2S+ people: 1-844-413-6649.

The Hope for Wellness Hotline for Indigenous people, with support in Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut, is also available 24/7 in Canada at 1-855-242-3310.