Update of Investigation re Identification of Mashkode Bizhi’ikwe (Buffalo Woman): C22-103187

March 26, 2025

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On July 11, 2024, Chief Justice Glenn Joyal convicted Jeremy Skibicki of four counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, Rebecca Contois, and an unidentified victim gifted the name Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, which means Buffalo Woman, by members of the Indigenous community.  On August 28, 2024, Chief Justice Joyal sentenced Skibicki to four concurrent life sentences with no eligibility for parole for 25 years.

During and after the trial, in consultation with the Crown Attorneys, investigators from the Homicide, Missing Persons and Forensic Identification Units continued their investigation to determine the identity of Buffalo Woman.  In December 2024 new information was provided that led investigators to make a preliminary identification.

To make a positive identification, specific evidence seized during the investigation was sent for DNA analysis to determine whether the known DNA of the possible victim could be located on the seized items.  On March 24, 2025, the results came back identifying Ashlee Christine Shingoose, 30 years of age, of St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation as the unidentified victim known as Buffalo Woman.

In reviewing the possible location of Ashlee’s remains, investigators believe that her body was placed into a garbage bin behind a commercial business in the 1300 block of Henderson Highway. Based on the timing of her death, and the new information about where she had been placed, the Winnipeg Police Service believes that her remains were taken to the Brady Landfill in March of 2022.

Yesterday, homicide investigators and the Winnipeg Police Service’s Family Support and Resource Advocate travelled to St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation to provide this information to Ashlee Shingoose’s family and members of the community.

The initial decision not to search for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran has had significant impact on the families and community.  While we can’t undo the past, we can learn from it.

The Winnipeg Police Service has reached out to leadership from the City of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba to start the discussions on a humanitarian search for the remains of Ashlee Shingoose. We are early in the discussions in terms of what a search would look like, but the Winnipeg Police Service is supportive of a search being undertaken and is committed to being part of those efforts.

NT5