Two teenagers being hunted over a triple murder in Canada have been found dead.

Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, had been charged with second-degree murder after the death of 64-year-old Leonard Dyck, whose body was found last month in northern British Colombia.

They were also suspects in the fatal shootings of Lucas Fowler, from Australia, and his US girlfriend Chynna Deese of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Their bodies were found along the Alaska Highway, about 300 miles from Mr Dyck's killing, on 15 July.

Image: Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese were found shot dead on 15 July

The teen suspects have yet to be formally identified following the discovery of remains in a "dense brush" five miles (8km) from their truck - which had been burnt out a mile from the body of Mr Dyck.


"At this stage we believe they are the bodies of the two suspects," said Assistant Commissioner Jane Maclatchy.

Post-mortem examinations are due to take place in Winnipeg to confirm the identities and the causes of death, but Ms Maclatchy said she hoped the initial announcement would "begin to bring some closure".

The teen suspects, both from Port Alberni, British Columbia, had initially been reported as missing persons after their burning truck was discovered.

Suspects' bodies found in triple murder hunt

But police later said there had been several reported sightings of the pair - and with the discovery of the three bodies, the missing person's search turned into a manhunt for murder suspects.

The vast weeks-long search spanned three provinces in Canada's north, and saw drones, tracking dogs, and a military Hercules aircraft get involved.

Much of the search was focused around the small town of Gillam, which is around 34 miles (55km) northeast of where their truck was discovered, and where the pair were reportedly spotted.

Speculation was rife on whether the pair would be able to survive in the dense and swampy terrain inhabited by bears and insects around the town.

Image: Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese were recorded on CCTV at a petrol station

Sherman Kong, the head of a survival company in Winnipeg, suggested there was a possibility the two could have died "from animal attack, dehydration, a serious injury or other causes" if they had tried hiding out.

Investigators also said they were looking into all lines of enquiry, including the possibility that the teenagers could have drowned.

A further reported sighting of the pair then redirected the manhunt to the small community of York Landing, around 50 miles (80km) west of Gillam.

Residents in the community were ordered by police to "stay inside" their homes, and "check all doors and windows to ensure they are closed and locked" as the huge operation took hold.

But issues with the difficult and vast terrain eventually led police to abandon the York Landing search, saying it was "a very tough place to find somebody who doesn't want to be found".

The overall investigation was also scaled back.

Image: Police search for the two suspects in the rugged terrain around Gillam. Pic taken on 28 July

But last Friday, a damaged aluminium boat was discovered at the side of a river near Gillam, and several items linked to the suspects were found further downstream.

The bodies of the pair were later located half a mile (1km) from where the items were found.

Speaking on Wednesday, Ms Deese's brother, British Deese, said the family needed time to process the latest news.

He said: "We are speechless."

McLeod and Schmegelsky were childhood friends, having both grown up on Vancouver Island and later working together at the local Walmart.

Upon leaving for the trip that sparked the nationwide manhunt, the pair led their parents to believe they were heading on a work trip to Yukon.