Jeremy Skibicki railed against a judge’s decision that he be tried before a jury in a letter he wrote to a prison “pen pal” that was provided to court Wednesday, as the Crown closed its case against the man who has confessed to killing four women.
“As I write to you now, I am devastated when I heard from my lawyers. I found out that basically everything that could go wrong ‘IS’ going wrong,” Skibicki wrote in a Feb. 10, 2023, letter to an inmate at the Nova Institute for Women in Truro, N.S.
“I cannot have a fair trial with a jury, as the chief judge thinks he can find an impartial jury. I know that’s impossible.”
Skibicki’s letter — one of nine he wrote to the same female inmate that were seized by police — was penned after King’s Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal dismissed a pre-trial defence motion that Skibicki be allowed to be tried by a judge alone.
Jurors “will just be people who lie just for the opportunity to see me fry,” Skibicki wrote to the inmate.
Skibicki, 37, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder in the May 2022 slayings of three Indigenous women — Rebecca Contois, Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris — as well as a fourth unidentified woman who was killed on or around March 15, 2022, who is known as Buffalo Woman.
Skibicki has admitted he “committed an unlawful act” by killing the women, but is claiming he should be found not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder.
“I am seriously considering giving up, even though I have (a) not criminally responsible defence with experts,” Skibicki wrote in the same Feb. 10, 2023 letter. “I could have 100 experts while the Crown has none and I’d still get convicted by a bunch of morons.”
Earlier this month, prosecutors consented to Skibicki being tried by judge alone after the defence confirmed on the record that he admits he killed the women.
In testimony Wednesday, court heard police learned in May 2023 that Skibicki had been exchanging “pen pal” letters with the Nova Scotia inmate while in remand custody at Milner Ridge Correctional Centre near Lac du Bonnet.
Winnipeg Police Service Det. Sgt. Michael MacDonald testified he and another officer flew to Nova Scotia to interview the woman and retrieve the letters. The woman told police she had received an additional two or three letters which she had destroyed.
The seized letters span nearly four months of correspondence, from Jan. 4, 2023 to April 27, 2023.
“My decision to talk to you was made because I need meaningful human contact — and I believe it’s possible to develop a truly blessed compatibility and connection if we each strive for that,” Skibicki wrote on Jan. 4. “I believe that God guides me in who or who not to communicate with… Yes, we do not know each other — yet — but this is how much I value our friendship.”
Skibicki told the woman he would only write, not call, as calls would be monitored by jail staff.
“Anything I say or write has the potential to be used against me by the Crown,” Skibicki wrote. “Even the simplest or most innocent sounding things I write or say can be twisted potentially into something it’s not.”
Skibicki did not detail his crimes in the letter, but told the woman she could find news stories about him online.
“I am a VERY unpopular figure here,” Skibicki wrote, adding he was being kept in segregation “against my wishes due to my ‘high profile’ case.”
“I’m probably one of the most hated men in Winnipeg (if not all of Canada),” he wrote. “It’s refreshing to have a real connection with someone who is not judgmental.”
By Feb. 6, Skibicki was calling the woman “sweetheart” and, in response to a picture she sent him, complimenting her “unique appeal” and “profound beauty.”
“I hope you’re the cuddly type,” he wrote. “I am.”
In another letter four days later, Skibicki cautioned the woman against showing his letters to anyone.
“If I can get past these legal issues without any of this showing up in the Crown’s hands — I will seriously consider getting married to you,” he wrote.
Skibicki told the woman he wanted her to publish novels he wrote so the government wouldn’t take the proceeds and asked her to investigate which prisons allow inmates to marry and have conjugal visits.
“I am feeling much better today,” he wrote in an addendum to the letter two days later. “I accept that my trial is going to suck, but I may get all/any of the charges overturned to NCR if I am convicted.”
In a March 10 letter, Skibicki described himself as someone who “dislike(s) arguing” and is “chill much of the time.”
“If I feel I need to make a point, I do so respectfully,” Skibicki wrote, before launching into a lengthy screed about “attacks on white culture,” with discussion about globalism, the Roman Catholic Church and “Jews in the media.”
“I am kind of extreme with my views… but most don’t know how tolerant I actually am in person,” he wrote.
Views ‘were not personal’: Skibicki
In testimony last week, Skibicki’s ex-wife told court he would have sex with her while she was asleep and medicated and once threatened to have sex with her corpse. The woman told court the sexually and emotionally abusive marriage ended a year later when she obtained a protection order and, eventually, moved in with her mother.
“I really went downhill for a while after my failed marriage,” Skibicki wrote in a March 29 letter. “Seeing more than one woman affected me very badly. I really prefer to not — because it’s very self destructive to me… When I do lose my cool I’ve been known to terrify people.”
In a final letter dated April 27, Skibicki lamented he had not heard from the woman in several weeks.
“Was it something I said?” Skibicki wrote. “Did I negatively affect you in some way? Did you just decide to stop writing? It affects me now, for sure because I know now that I am in love with you.”
Later, after receiving a letter from the woman indicating Skibicki’s March 10 screed had upset her, Skibicki said his views “were not personal.”
“It’s true that our views are hurtful to each other… but that doesn’t mean we can’t love each other,” he wrote.
Prosecutors closed their case Wednesday morning after their final witness was unable to testify due to medical reasons.
The trial is adjourned until June 3, at which time the defence will open its case.
dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
Dean Pritchard
Courts reporter
Someone once said a journalist is just a reporter in a good suit. Dean Pritchard doesn’t own a good suit. But he knows a good lawsuit.
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