Province eyes GPS tracking of garbage trucks
“Manitobans were devastated by the most disturbing crimes that have ever been committed in our province,” Premier Wab Kinew said in the release.
The Manitoba government is exploring the implementation of global positioning system (GPS) technology on garbage trucks following a serial killer's use of bins to dispose of his victims.
A request for proposals has been issued to find a qualified service provider with extensive knowledge of the waste management industry and technological solutions, according to a news release on Wednesday. The proposal includes recommendations to equip garbage trucks with GPS for location tracking, install rear-facing cameras for operators to monitor what is being unloaded, and place security cameras at the entrances and exits of landfills.
Jeremy Skibicki was sentenced to life in prison last week after being convicted of first-degree murder for the killings of Rebecca Contois, Marcedes Myran, Morgan Harris, and an unidentified woman now referred to as Mashkode-Bizhiki-ikwe (or Buffalo Woman).
Skibicki targeted these Indigenous women after meeting them in early 2022. The remains of Contois, his last known victim, were found in a garbage bin and later at the Brady Road landfill. Police later determined that Harris and Myran's remains were likely at the Prairie Green Landfill, north of Winnipeg, where an excavation and manual search is expected to start this fall. The exact location of Buffalo Woman's remains is still unknown.
The review process will involve collaboration with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, the province stated.
"Manitobans were devastated by some of the most disturbing crimes in our province's history," Premier Wab Kinew said in the release.
"In addition to the search preparations at the Prairie Green Landfill, our government is committed to further action by exploring GPS monitoring to aid police investigations while ensuring Indigenous lives are valued and dignified."
The process is expected to be completed by summer 2025, according to Kinew.
Cambria Harris and Jorden Myran, relatives of two of the murdered women, expressed their gratitude, saying their families "are both incredibly grateful to know that our calls have been heard, as we have pushed for this work, endlessly."
