Manitoba confirms Brady Landfill search for two Indigenous women

The Manitoba government confirmed Wednesday it will go ahead with plans to search Winnipeg’s Brady Road landfill, which are in the test phase now.

One of the women, Tanya Nepinak, has been missing for 14 years.

“It was tears. It was mixed feelings. It’s about time. All these years of fighting for her,” said Nepinak’s aunt Sue Caribou.

“Tanya deserves dignity and respect and not to be left in a pile of garbage.”

Nepinak was last seen in Winnipeg in September 2011, and police believe her body was dumped in a garbage bin and taken to the site. Investigators searched a small portion of the landfill for her remains in 2012 but were unsuccessful. They called off the search after a week.

“This time, I hope they search more than six days,” Caribou said. “Because last time, it was a joke.”

“For far too long – 14 long years – we have waited, hoping, searching, and demanding action,” added Tanya’s partner Vernon Man, the father to their two children. “We have never stopped advocating for this search.”

Shawn Lamb was charged with second-degree murder in the deaths of Nepinak and two other women. He was convicted of manslaughter in the slayings of Lorna Blacksmith and Carolyn Sinclair but charges against him in Nepinak’s death were stayed due to lack of evidence.

But her family says police told them her remains are likely in the Brady landfill.

Caribou says she found out through the news Wednesday that the search for her niece is going ahead.

“I’m so sad that her children had to hear it from somebody else,” she said. “That wasn’t a good way. Maybe I was very persistent, but they shouldn’t have disrespected me in that way.”

Preliminary search of Brady Road

Premier Wab Kinew says the Manitoba government began last week its “test phase” search of the landfill for the remains of Ashlee Shingoose, one of four First Nations women killed by Jeremy Skibicki in Winnipeg in 2022. Police believe her body was taken to the landfill.

A small team has been conducting ground-penetrating radar tests to narrow down a search area. A proper search of the landfill could happen later this year.

“This work is now about bringing both Ashlee and Tanya home, honouring their spirits, and ensuring no other family has to endure what we have endured,” Man said in a statement provided by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC).

READ: Preliminary search of Winnipeg landfill for victim of serial killer underway: Kinew

The AMC is welcoming the search of Brady Road, saying the work must be led by the families of the victims and must be “trauma informed.”

“Ashlee and Tanya’s families have shown extraordinary strength in seeking justice, and the AMC through our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) team will continue to work closely with the province, the federal government, and the impacted Nations to ensure that these searches are conducted with respect, ceremony, and care,” said AMC Grand Chief Kyra Wilson.

Kinew committed to searching Brady Road for Shingoose after a similar dig at a different landfill for the two other victims. The remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran were discovered at the Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg, with the search there concluding this summer.

“These searches are a powerful reminder of the unwavering strength of families, Nations, and their allies,” Wilson said. “They show that through advocacy, unity, and hope, we can create meaningful change and honour the lives of loved ones. The AMC remains committed to supporting the families, guiding the process with cultural care, and ensuring that Ashlee and Tanya are remembered with dignity and respect.”

Shingoose family victim impact statements

In the meantime, Shingoose’s parents are scheduled to appear in court Friday, where they’ll give their victim impact statements.

They weren’t able to do that during the 2024 trial because Shingoose was not yet confirmed as one of the victims. The court has agreed to acknowledge the suffering of her family.

It won’t impact Skibicki’s legal status; he’s serving four concurrent life sentences.

–With files from The Canadian Press