A 22-year-old man has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder after RCMP say he fatally shot two people then set their home on fire in September 2021.
The remains of Brent Denechezhe, 31, and Leona Tssessaze, 24, were found after the fire on the remote Northlands Denesuline First Nation, located at Lac Brochet in northern Manitoba.
Leon Paul Mercredi was arrested Monday in Fond du Lac, Sask., where police say he fled after committing the crimes. He is from Northlands Denesuline.
RCMP do not believe anyone else was involved, which is important for the community and families to know in order to begin their healing, Supt. Rob Lasson of the RCMP’s major crime services said at a news conference on Thursday to announce the arrest.
“Today, we do have a man in custody and some answers for the family and community. But that is not to say this is over,” he said.
“This double homicide has no doubt had a profound effect on a very tight-knit community.”
Denechezhe, Tssessaze and Mercredi were socializing at the home of Denechezhe on Sept. 9, 2021, when Mercredi left following a disagreement, RCMP say.
He returned with the gun and shot the couple. He left and returned a second time to ignite the fire, police say.
Northlands Denesuline First Nation Chief Simon Denechezhe, who spoke at Thursday’s news conference, called the 2021 incident “the beginning of a long, sad, painful time for our community.”
“Losing Brent and Leona has affected every person in the community. Not knowing [who was responsible] caused fear and anxiety among our people for a very small community, isolated,” he said.
Northlands Denesuline is located about 1,000 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg and accessible only by air or winter roads.
‘Emotional time’
The news of an arrest has started “a difficult and emotional time for all of us again, with a lot of mixed feelings,” said chief Denechezhe, who is the uncle of Brent Denechezhe.
“But there’s some sense of relief with some closure.”
Like Lasson, the chief said the incident is far from being in the past.
“We see the site where Brent’s home was. We live with the loss of these two vibrant young people every day. But now we can stop wondering [and] without the questions, we can process the pain,” he said.
“[The RCMP arrested] a man we know, a man whose family is still living with us in our community. They’re part of the community and we cannot live in anger. We must move forward in healing and we must do it together.”
A family member read a statement from Denechezhe’s mother, Veronique: “I try to walk into the future knowing Brent is not part of that. I try to be strong for his children while I miss my child.
“Leona’s mother, Ellen [Tssessaze], also helps me stay strong. We are in this together.”
In a statement read on her behalf, Tssessaze said one her life’s greatest joys was being Leona’s mother.
“She used to come home at night and cuddle by my side and tell me she loved me. We would talk and laugh. It hurts so much to know I won’t get to do that with her again,” she said.
“To know she died the way she did takes my breath away. She had a life ahead of her, a good life, and it was taken from her.
“I will live the rest of my days remembering the joy she brought me and this is what I would like the people to remember.”
While investigators do not believe anyone else is involved in the shooting, they are still asking anyone with information to call the tip line at 431-489-8112.