The exhausting search for the father of two girls who were found dead in a wooded area southwest of Quebec City is intensifying as it enters its tenth day.
Quebec provincial police say the manhunt for Martin Carpentier in the St-Apollinaire area involves teams of officers on foot, aided by dog handlers, ATVs and Wildlife Department officers.
Sgt. Helene Nepton said the search has intensified since police reported Thursday that Carpentier had allegedly stolen items from a trailer inside the search area.
Police believe the 44-year-old suspect may be desperate to find materials he needs to survive in the woods, and they are asking cabin and outbuilding owners to contact them immediately if they notice any unusual activity around their properties.
Carpentier’s two daughters, Norah and Romy Carpentier, aged 11 and 6, were found dead last Saturday following an Amber Alert.
Their funeral is scheduled for Monday in Levis, south of Quebec City.
Police have said they believe the girls and their father were in a serious car crash on Highway 20 in St-Apollinaire July 8, but no one was in the wrecked vehicle when officers arrived on scene.
Autopsies have been performed on the girls but police said they won’t reveal the cause of death until Carpentier is found.