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Authorities have confirmed the discovery of the remains of a second Indigenous woman, Marcedes Myran, who was murdered by convicted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki. This announcement came after the identification of another victim earlier this month, underscoring the tragic impact of violence against Indigenous women in Canada.
Marcedes Myran, along with Morgan Harris, was killed three years ago by Skibicki, who is currently serving multiple life sentences after being found guilty of four murders last year. Skibicki’s victims were often encountered in homeless shelters, bringing to light the serious risks Indigenous women face in Canada, a situation described as a “genocide” by a national inquiry conducted in 2019.
During Skibicki’s trial, harrowing details emerged, revealing that he raped, killed, and dismembered Myran and Harris in 2022. Investigators focused their efforts on the Prairie Green Landfill, located north of Winnipeg, Manitoba, believing the remains of both women were disposed of at that site after extensive searches over several months.
In a poignant display of remembrance, a photo of Marcedes Myran and a red dress have been placed on a tree outside Camp Marcedes, which is situated near the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. This memorial serves as a call to action to continue the search for her remains in the landfills surrounding Winnipeg.
In an update last month, Manitoba authorities revealed the identification of two bodies. Morgan Harris’s remains were confirmed on March 7, and the federal police in Manitoba recently announced that the second set of remains found in the landfill belonged to Marcedes Myran from Long Plain First Nation. Notably, the families of both victims had persistently urged authorities to conduct a thorough search for their loved ones.
Additionally, the body of another victim of Skibicki, Rebecca Contois, was discovered in a separate landfill, while the remains of a fourth unidentified victim, described as being in her twenties, remain missing. These cases illustrate an ongoing crisis regarding violence against Indigenous women in Canada.
In December 2022, Winnipeg Police Chief Danny Smyth expressed his condolences in an open letter to Indigenous leaders, acknowledging the deep suffering surrounding the cases. He emphasized the complexity and significance of the investigation into the murders of Contois, Myran, Harris, and another victim, Buffalo Woman. Chief Smyth recognized the calls for justice from families and the Indigenous community, stating, “The pain and sorrow is unimaginable.”
Statistically, Indigenous women account for nearly one-fifth of all women murdered in gender-related homicides across Canada, despite representing only five percent of the female population. This alarming trend is mirrored in the United States, where Native American women face disproportionate levels of violence, including murder and sexual assault, both on reservations and in surrounding areas.
In 2016, more than 5,700 cases of missing Native women and girls were reported, according to data from the anti-sexual assault organization RAINN and the National Crime Information Center. More recent estimates by the Bureau of Indian Affairs suggest that approximately 4,200 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous individuals are still unresolved, highlighting a significant crisis that demands urgent attention.
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