A profound effect on remote Manitoba community: Charges laid in 2021 double homicide – Winnipeg [Video]

The Manitoba RCMP’s major crimes unit announced Thursday morning that an arrest had been made in an ongoing double homicide investigation.

The deaths, which took place in the remote Northlands Denesuline First Nation, have been under investigation for two-and-a-half years, police said, culminating in Monday’s arrest of 22-year-old Leon Paul Mercredi.

Mercredi is facing first-degree murder charges in connection with the deaths of Brent Denechezhe, 31, and Leona Tssessaze, 24, whose remains were found in the aftermath of a house fire on Sept. 9, 2021.

RCMP said the victims and the suspect were together at Brent’s home, when the suspect allegedly left during an argument and returned with a gun — at which point police believe the murders took place.

The suspect was seen leaving again, and returning moments later, police said. Shortly afterward, the house was seen engulfed in flames.

Supt. Rob Lasson and Simon Denchezhe, Chief of Northlands …