A 15-day manhunt for the murderers of Australian backpacker Lucas Fowler, 23, and his American girlfriend Chynna Deese, 24, has come to a close after two bodies were found.
On Wednesday afternoon Canadian police announced that two male bodies believed to be Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, and Kam McLeod, 19, had been found in 'dense brush' by Nelson River near Gillam, Manitoba.
The pair have yet to be formally identified but police say there is 'significant evidence' to make them believe it's them. Police declined to discuss how the two had died, saying that they would wait for the autopsy to confirm their cause of death.
'At this time, we believe these are the bodies of the two suspects wanted in connection with the homicides in British Columbia,' said Jane MacLatchy of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Schegelsky and McLeod are the main suspects for the murders of Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese who were discovered shot dead in a ditch on the side of a highway in British Columbia on July 15.
The young couple had just embarked on a campervan trip around Canada after meeting Croatia and falling in love.
'It is a love story, a Southern girl goes out of the country, meets this Australian, and they were just the same personality,' said Chynna Deese's mum Sheila. 'It was like two butterflies that found each other and they were going to be forever.'
Chynna Deese and Lucas Fowler had embarked on a road trip when they were found dead.
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Lucas Fowler was the son of Sydney detective Stephen Fowler, chief inspector for Sydney’s north-west Hills district. In a statement the Fowler family said: 'To lose someone so young and vibrant, who was travelling the world and just enjoying life to the full, is devastating.'
Schegelsky and McLeod had also been charged with the murder of Leonard Dyck, 64, who was discovered on July 19 on a BC highway a mile away from an abandoned and burning pick-up truck Schmegelsky and McLeod had been driving.
The manhunt for the pair began on July 23 in the western Canadian province of British Columbia and spanned more than 5000 kilometres across three provinces.
Riah MatthewsRiah Matthews is the Deputy Editor for that’s life! She started her journalism career in the UK at the Nottingham Post before moving to Australia and working on that's life! and the podcast How I Survived. Her work has also been published in the Daily Mail, Chat, Woman, Pick Me Up, Take a Break, Real People and on Newidea.com.au
