Dozens of people, many dressed in red, held hands and danced in a circle on the street outside a Winnipeg courthouse on the final day of the trial of a self-confessed serial killer.
A group of women, including the sister of one of Jeremy Skibicki's victims, stood in the center of the circle, playing drums and singing. The daughter of another victim held a shovel painted red with the words “Search the Landfill” on it.
Family members made it clear that while Skibic’s trial is over, their fight to bring their loved one home is not.
“My cousin needs to come home. It's been over two years. I don't even know why we're still sitting here,” Morgan Harris' cousin Melissa Robinson told the outlet Monday afternoon.
Skibitsky, 37, is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Harris, 39, and three other Indigenous women: Rebecca Contois, 24, Marcedes Myran, 26, and an unidentified woman known to the grassroots Indigenous community as Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, or “Buffalo Woman.”
His lawyers acknowledged he carried out the killings but argued he should not be criminally responsible. A forensic psychiatrist for the defense testified that Skibicki was suffering from schizophrenia at the time of the killings.
The murder came to light when some of Comtois's remains were found in a trash can near Skibic's home in May 2022. The following month, more of her remains were found at a city-run landfill.
The remains of Harris and Mylan are believed to be buried at another landfill. It is not clear where the remains of “Buffalo Woman” are buried.
The case drew global attention when police announced they would not search for Harris and Mylan's remains at the privately owned Prairie Green landfill, citing safety concerns over toxic materials. It led the two families to take their fight to Parliament Hill and the steps of the Manitoba Legislature.
Breaking news from Canada and around the world
Sent to your email, as it happens.
The provincial and federal governments each pledged $20 million in March to help fund the search at the landfill after months of opposition from victims' families and advocates across the country.
As family members called for a search outside the courtroom, lawyers inside, packed with family members and supporters wearing ribbon skirts, delivered closing arguments to Manitoba Superior Court Chief Justice Glen Joyal.
Defense attorney Leonard Tailleur said at the trial: “A lot of Skibic's behavior was driven by delusions.”
The court heard that Skibic told defence witness Dr Sohom Das that he felt compelled to kill the two women because he was on a God-given mission and heard auditory hallucinations that were inducing him to kill.
Das testified that, based on his assessment, Skibic knew his actions at the time were legally wrong but was incapable of recognizing they were morally wrong.
Prosecutors made the opposite argument, presenting DNA, video surveillance and witness evidence to prove Skibic had the mental capacity and awareness to commit and cover up the killings.
They characterized the killings as racist acts and said Skibicki first attacked the women in a homeless shelter and then performed “vile sex acts” on their bodies.
Prosecutors presented a court-appointed psychiatrist, Dr. Gary Chaimowitz, who told the court he believed Skibicki killed the women because he suffered from the paraphilia homicidal necrophilia. He said people with the rare disorder get a thrill from having sex with the people they kill.
Chaimowitz also said Skibic knew the killing was wrong.
Prosecutor Renee Lagimodiere said Skibitsky's desire for power and control was tied to the four killings.
“This person is not suffering from schizophrenia. It's over,” Rajmodil said.
Harris' daughter, Cambria Harris, said hearing about her mother's tragic death was one of the hardest moments of her life.
“I thought she had to hide from the demons in her head, but she had to hide from the monsters on the street who were targeting her and claiming to have schizophrenia.”
The court also heard Skibicki's computer was also searchable online for garbage collection times and other forensic information.
You can also do a computer search for “serial killer definition.”
Prosecutor Chris Vanderhooft told the court he had an answer.
“The answer is you, Mr. Skibic.”
A spokesman for the Contois family told reporters that the family has gone through a long journey full of sadness and pain.
“After today, after the verdict comes out, this is not going to be over… it's not going to be forever,” Travis Brazil said.
Robinson said after his filing that if Joyal finds Skibic guilty of first-degree murder, it would send a signal.
“Show this country that this behavior ends here. Our women are not trash. They are not going to be thrown in a landfill. We are not going to tolerate this behavior anymore.”
The Harris family said they have not received a response from the provincial government for weeks on next steps in the landfill search, and this week they met with Premier Wab Kinev.
Asked about the search and rescue efforts at a separate event on Monday, Kinew said the provincial government would make an “important” announcement after meeting with the victims' families.
Joyal is expected to render his verdict on July 11.
The federal government has a support hotline for people affected by the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls: 1-844-413-6649. The Hope for Health Helpline also serves all Indigenous peoples in Canada and is available in Cree, Ojibwe and Inuit:
