Outside the front doors of the courthouse in Winnipeg, friends and family of Marcedes Myran offer a sacred song and prayer to the Creator for a safe journey over the coming weeks.
On Monday, the trial for Jeremy Skibicki, the man accused of killing Myran, Rebecca Contois, Morgan Harris and a fourth woman commonly called Buffalo Woman, opened.
“It’s been very heavy on our hearts. Very anxious. A lot of anxiety. This next month is going to be very hard on us,” said Jorden Myran, Marcedes’ sister.
Police believe Marcedes’ remains are at a private landfill outside of Winnipeg with Harris and Buffalo Woman. The partial remains of Contois were found at the city-owned landfill in 2022.
Marcedes’ grandmother, Donna Bartlett, told the gathering about the struggle to get authorities to search the landfill.
“Until we get her home, we will be fighting.to bring her home,” she said. “Like I said, even a piece of her would be good; we will have a piece of her at home at least.”
It wasn’t until recently that the federal and provincial governments each committed $20 million towards a search.
Cathy Merrick, grand chief of the ASssembly of First Nations, said this shouldn’t be a one- time financial commitment because the families will need self-care going through the trial.
“It’s needed in all our communities, all our nations, that to be able to be provided that mental support, that spiritual support and that cultural support to be able to go into ceremony,” she said.
Support has been crucial in helping keep the Myran family strong over the past year.
“A lot of organizations have been helping us, also just the community that have been coming out and supporting us have been very big,” said Jordan.
The Skibicki trial is schedule to last six weeks.
