Murder manhunt: Disturbing road trip of teens wanted over Lucas Fowler's death
Canadian authorities appear to be closing in on the two teenagers suspected of shooting dead Australian tourist Lucas Fowler and his American girlfriend Chynna Deese.
Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, from Port Alberni, near Vancouver, are also suspects in the death of a yet-to-be identified middle-aged man found lying near where the teenager's Dodge pick-up truck was set alight on Friday.
A massive manhunt is underway, with the teenagers driving thousands of kilometres east across remote northern Canada.
On Tuesday morning (local time) the RCMP reported they were spotted driving a grey 2011 Toyota RAV4 more than 2000km away from BC in northern Saskatchewan, a province in central Canada.
Just hours later the RMCP issued an alert to residents of Manitoba, the province to the east of Saskatchewan, to say “we have reasons to believe they were recently in the Gillam area” of Manitoba.
“If you spot them - take no actions – do not approach – call 911 or your local police immediately,” the RCMP alert warns.
The teenage duo is considered so dangerous the RCMP said a decision to call Tuesday's press conference and go public with their concerns was "unprecedented".
"If you spot Bryer or Kam consider them dangerous," Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sergeant Janelle Shoihet told reporters.
"Do not approach, do not take action and call 911 immediately."
Teens’ road trip quickly turns to murder manhunt
McLeod and Schmegelsky set off from Port Alberni for Whitehorse in the search for work. Arriving sometime before July 14 after leaving on July 12, the teens travelled over 2000km to reach their destination in the neighbouring province of Yukon.
Yet the pair were disappointed with the town and left, family members told the Vancouver Sun.
On July 19, the pair’s burnt out Dodge camper was discovered in Dease Lake. The body of the middle-aged man was discovered roughly two kilometres from the vehicle.
Just four days earlier, the bodies of Mr Fowler and Ms Deese were found on the roadside of the Alaska Highway, 450km east of Dease Lake.
A shop owner in Jade City, roughly 350km east of where Mr Fowler and Ms Deese’s bodies were found, said she spotted the teens in her store on CCTV a day before their vehicle was found.
As police ramped up their hunt for the teens, and with the young men possibly aware they had quickly gone from missing to lead suspects in three murders, they fled east across the country.
On Monday, they were reportedly seen in northern Saskatchewan, more than 2000km away. Police refused to give details on the exact sighting in the knowledge they were on the move and not wanting to jeopardise their hunt.
The latest sighting of McLeod and Schmegelsky came on Tuesday (local time) as a reported sighting emerged from Gillam, in the eastern state of Manitoba.
The teens are known best friends and worked night shifts at their local Walmart together to raise money to go on their working adventure.
The teenagers are also said to enjoy playing video games that simulated war and involved hunting and camouflage.
– with AAP
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