Winnipeg police confirmed Wednesday that they have discovered partial human remains at the Brady Road landfill.
The remains, police said, are related to the investigation of the homicide of Rebecca Contois, 24.
Contois’ partial remains were found near an Edison Avenue apartment block in mid-May, leading to the arrest of 35-year-old Jeremy Anthony Michael Skibicki, who has been charged with first-degree murder.
At the time, homicide investigators said they hadn’t ruled out the possibility of additional victims.
Police began searching the landfill June 2, with 10 officers involved in the operation, each wearing respirators, methane detection equipment and other protective gear.
A large section of the landfill was sectioned off with no further dumping while the search took place.
Police said Wednesday they’re holding the scene at the landfill pending an autopsy of the remains.
“It’s just being held right now, waiting for those autopsy results to come through and see if the work can be completed at that time or if there’s more work to be done,” said Const. Dani McKinnon.
Police said the initial search area was about the size of four-to-six football fields — later narrowed down to the equivalent of one-and-a-half fields, but still a challenge given inclement weather and health hazards of searching a landfill.
No additional charges have been laid as a result of the landfill discovery.
The police service’s family support and resource advocate, Angie Tuesday, said she has been in constant contact with Contois’ family.
“The details that have been released have been very traumatic on the family, of course, but also on other families who have experienced this loss before and are currently experiencing these losses,” Tuesday said.