In a small Manitoba town, police are investigating how three children and two women died in connected but separate circumstances. RCMP Insp. Tim Arseneault revealed little information at a hastily called news conference, but stated that all five deceased individuals and a suspect were familiar with each other. A 29-year-old man is currently in custody, though it is unclear what charges he may face.
Arseneault extended condolences to the town of Carman and its 3,000 residents, expressing that the tragedy has greatly affected the entire community. “As a parent, I simply cannot imagine the enormity of your loss. Please know that the RCMP and everyone in Manitoba stands with you,” he said.
The investigation has revealed that the deceased individuals were found at three separate scenes. The first discovery was made near a highway where a woman’s body was found in a ditch. A call to police reported a vehicle on fire some 70 kilometers to the north, where witnesses were able to rescue three children from the burning vehicle but tragically, they were declared deceased at the scene. The suspect was arrested at the site of the blaze, and further investigation led officers to a home in Carman, where the body of another woman was discovered. Arseneault did not provide the ages of the deceased or describe their relationship with the suspect.