Canadian murder victim known as Buffalo Woman finally identified

Canadian investigators have formally identified a missing indigenous woman who was murdered by a serial killer in 2022.

Ashlee Shingoose, 30, was the first of four people killed by Jeremy Skibicki in Manitoba. She had been known only as Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe (Buffalo Woman) until her identity was discovered by investigators and revealed on Wednesday.

Police officials also shared new details about Ms Shingoose's death, including naming the local landfill where they believe her remains are located.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew pledged to conduct a search of the facility, in an effort to find her body at her family's request.

Morgan Harris, 39, Marcedes Myran, 26, and Rebecca Contois, 24 were also killed by Jeremy Skibicki. He has been convicted of all four deaths and is serving a life sentence.

Harris and Myran were identified earlier this month after being found in the Prairie Green Landfill, north of Winnipeg. The search there is still ongoing, and remains continue to be found, according to the Manitoba premier.

Winnipeg Police Deputy Chief Cam Mackid said during a news conference that the Shingoose family had been given confirmation of her death on Tuesday.

Chief Raymond Flett of the St Theresa Point Anisininew Nation, told reporters that the news is "heartbreaking" but is "welcome".

The chief also read a letter from Shingoose's mother, who wrote: "Please start the search as soon as possible."

"It's been a long time waiting. I need to bring her home. I need closure. Enough. Search the landfill as soon as possible."

He added that many other indigenous Canadians have "been murdered without proper investigation accountability". A national inquiry found that indigenous women in Canada were 12 times more likely to be missing or murdered than non-indigenous Canadians.

A news release issued by the Winnipeg Police Service said police received "new information" in December 2024, which "led investigators to make a preliminary identification".

The positive identification was made after specific evidence seized during the investigation was sent for DNA analysis.

The statement added that Shingoose's body was placed in a garbage bin behind a commercial business after she was killed. It said that "based on the timing of her death, and the new information about where she had been placed" police believe she was taken to the Brady Landfill.

Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, told the Canadian Press that she had spoken to Shingoose's relatives, and that she wants the police to be investigated for their handling of the deaths.

"Why didn't the police service help these families right off the bat, and why didn't the previous provincial government want to help these families right off the bat," she said.

The provincial government initially declined to search the Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of the women, due to steep costs and concerns about hazardous waste.

Their murders went undetected for months until a man looking for scrap metal in a bin outside Skibicki's apartment found partial human remains, identified as belonging to Contois.