Convicted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki sat emotionless in a Winnipeg courtroom as the friends and families of his victims spoke of the living nightmare they have endured since the horrific murders of four women two years ago.
Skibicki, who was found guilty in July of murdering four Indigenous women, was back in Manitoba’s Court of King’s Bench Wednesday for his sentencing hearing.
The gallery was filled with the friends and families of Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, Rebecca Contois and an unidentified victim given the name Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe or Buffalo Woman.
“Their lives matter. They were not garbage,” Rebecca Contois’ sister Stephanie said in her victim impact statement read by her brother.
During the trial, court heard how Skibicki preyed on vulnerable Indigenous women at homeless shelters and invited them back to his apartment. The court heard he then abused them, often sexually, before killing them, defiling their bodies and disposing of them in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters.
In his decision, Chief Justice Glen Joyal found Skibicki’s actions were racially motivated and driven by homicidal necrophilia.
On Wednesday, the court heard how the murders impacted the friends and families of Harris, Myran, Contois and Buffalo Woman.
“You are a heartless evil monster. You changed my life and what you did to my niece Rebecca Contois is unforgivable,” Contois’ aunt Valerie Moar told Skibicki.
Among the victim impact statements, Grand Chief Cathy Merrick of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs told the court the killings have had a profound impact on First Nation communities in the province.
“The heinous crimes committed by Mr. Skibicki have left a deep scar on First Nations people and the reverberations of his actions will be felt for generations,” she said.
“Despite the overwhelming challenges, the community remains resilient.”
Skibicki was found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder in July. A single conviction carries with it an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.
This is a developing story. More details to come.