Manitoba RCMP, families issue emotional plea to help solve northern homicide case

Manitoba RCMP are turning to the public in a unique way to help find out what happened to two young people who were killed in a remote northern First Nation last September.

Emergency crews responded to a house fire on the Northlands Denesuline First Nation on Sept. 9, after the fire was extinguished. The bodies of 31-year-old Brent Denechezhe and 24-year-old Leona Tssessaze were found inside.

RCMP issued a news release calling for help on Tuesday, including emotional interviews with family members and a version of the release translated in Dënesųłiné — the first time Mounties in the province have issued a news release in an Indigenous language.

"We very much wanted to make sure that we were including the community in this communication because it is so personal and it affects everyone in that community very deeply," said Manitoba RCMP media relations officer Tara Seel in an interview on CBC Manitoba's Up To Speed on Tuesday.

"We thought that maybe if we shared with people what these families and what this community is going through, that it might have that emotional impact that might tweak somebody to actually say, 'This does affect me. This does reach me. I'm going to come forward.'" 

Seel personally met with Denechezhe and Tssessaze's family in Northlands Denesuline First Nation to get a sense of how the homicides affected them.

"I don't know why this had to happen," said Ellen Tssessaze in the RCMP news release.

"I just keep wondering why. Whoever did this needs to come forward. Please come forward. If anyone knows anything, please help us. Please help our families. Speak up for Leona and Brent."

Veronique Denechezhe was working outside the First Nation when her son was killed, and now she can't see herself living there again.

"Whoever did this to Brent and Leona, whoever killed my son, is still there, still lives there. I can't be there and unknowingly wish the person who killed my baby a nice day," she said in a news release.

Seel hopes the women's brave words will help get answers.

"Both of them are struggling immensely with their grief and with the loss to their family. It wasn't easy for them to come forward and talk. It wasn't easy for them to share what they're going through at this time," she said. 

The community is about 1,000 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg and accessible only by winter roads or air. 

RCMP are actively investigating the homicides and are asking anyone with information to call the RCMP tip line at 431-489-8551, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or leave a secure tip online.