A nationwide manhunt is underway for two suspects in the deaths of three people in northern B.C.
Authorities are looking for Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky, two Vancouver Island teens who police believe shot Lucas Fowler of Sydney, Australia and his girlfriend Chynna Deese of Charlotte, N.C.
They have also been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a third man, who was identified as Leonard Dyck of Vancouver, B.C.
Relatively little is known about McLeod and Schmegelsky. The two, who are from Port Alberni, B.C., were believed to be travelling in a red-and-grey pickup truck to Whitehorse, Yukon, in search of work.
They were initially deemed missing after their burned-out truck was found near Dease Lake. Dyck’s body was found nearby.
WATCH: Missing teens now suspects in northern B.C. homicides
On Tuesday, RCMP made the bombshell announcement that the two were now suspects in the three deaths.
RCMP said Tuesday that McLeod and Schmegelsky were spotted in Meadow Lake, a community in northern Saskatchewan. Later in the day, RCMP said they had reason to believe they were in Gillam, Man. They were last seen in a grey 2011 Toyota RAV4.
Police describe both teens as standing six feet four inches tall and weighing approximately 170 pounds. McLeod, 19, is described as having dark hair, facial hair and brown eyes, while Schmegelsky, 18, is described as having sandy hair.
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Police believe the two may have changed their appearance and may be travelling in a different vehicle.
According to Schmegelsky’s father, the two have been best friends since elementary school.
The two appeared to have been active on social media. A Facebook account associated with a Bryer Schmegelsky featured a 2015 message that read: “Guns don’t kill people. It’s mostly the bullets.”
On Tuesday, Keith McLeod, Kam’s father, pleaded for privacy as the family comes to terms with what is happening.
WATCH: Global News coverage of the deaths in northern B.C.
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In an interview with Global News, Madison Hempstead said she shared one class in Grade 7 with Schmegelsky in Port Alberni, when they were both 13 years old.
Hempstead said she had only limited interactions with Schmegelsky during that year, but what he would say to her was troubling.
WATCH: Former classmate of Bryer Schmegelsky speaks out
“There were times he would tell me and my friends ways he wanted to kill us and then himself, which is scary,” she said. “One of my friends commented that Bryer said he wanted to kill his whole family.”
Other people who say they went to school with Schmegelsky described similar encounters.
Bryer’s father Alan Schmegelsky told the Canadian Press his son struggled with his parents’ divorce in 2005 and his main influences were “YouTube and video games.”
He said he believes his son will “go out in a blaze of glory.”
“He’s on a suicide mission. He wants his pain to end,” he said, breaking down into tears. “Basically, he’s going to be dead today or tomorrow. I know that. Rest in peace, Bryer. I love you. I’m so sorry all this had to happen.”
—With files from Simon Little and the Canadian Press
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