Human Remains from Manitoba Waste Site Linked to Serial Killer's Victims

Recently identified remains in a Manitoba landfill have been confirmed as belonging to Morgan Beatrice Harris, one of four Indigenous women murdered by a serial killer. This revelation underscores the political tensions around the search efforts, particularly in light of past neglect toward Indigenous victims.

The police in Manitoba announced on Friday that human remains discovered during a landfill search near Winnipeg have been identified as Morgan Beatrice Harris, 39, an Indigenous victim of a serial killer. Harris was among four women from the Winnipeg area killed between March and May of 2022. Until the recent identification, only one victim, Rebecca Contois, 24, was previously confirmed from the landfill search.

Jeremy Anthony Michael Skibicki was convicted last year for the murders and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for 25 years. His social media was marked by far-right views, including white supremacy and misogyny. The other confirmed victim is Marcedes Myran, 26, while a fourth remains unidentified and referred to by Indigenous elders as Buffalo Woman.

The decision to search the Prairie Green landfill became a significant political issue during the 2023 provincial elections, with the Progressive Conservative party, which ultimately lost, running ads against the search due to concerns over expenses and safety risks. Indigenous advocates have drawn parallels to the infamous Robert Pickton case in British Columbia, who was charged with murdering numerous women, predominantly Indigenous, more than two decades ago.

The identification of Harris’s remains was made public by the New Democratic Party government, which had committed to the search during their election campaign. Premier Wab Kinew, who made history as the first Indigenous provincial leader in Manitoba, urged the public to support the families affected.

Cabria Harris, Morgan's daughter, expressed deep mixed emotions on social media regarding the identification. Evidence had previously pointed to the possible presence of Harris and Myran’s remains in the landfill. Recently discovered potential human remains prompted further searches.

In the Manitoba legislature, the interim leader of the Progressive Conservatives, Wayne Ewasko, acknowledged the party’s missteps in not initiating a search, expressing regret for lacking empathy towards the victims' families. However, Cabria Harris responded to the apology with skepticism, insisting that only action would validate the party's words.