(files by Brendan Pawliw)
A Prince George-based survivalist has given his take on the manhunt surrounding a pair of BC murder suspects who remain in Northern Manitoba.
Bryer Schmegelsky and Kam McLeod have been in the Gilliam area for over a week as the RCMP continues to track them down.
Cliff “Wildman” Hammond touched on the psychological side of things when it comes to the two suspects.
“Now these guys have got something even more than somebody who is lost in the bush would have, they’ve got an absolute impetus not to get caught, not to be found and that’s going to make things a lot more difficult.”
Both have been charged by police for the murder of a UBC professor and are also suspects in the shooting of an American and Australian couple along the Alaska Highway.
Hammond also explained what both men might be experiencing if they are still in the bush.
“What they are experiencing right now is exposure, if they are in the bush itself, they are getting wet and they won’t be able to dry off, they can’t start a fire and they could get hypothermia.”
He adds their current location will play a big role in how much longer they can evade police.
“I don’t suspect that they will be out there much longer. Maybe a week if they are out in the bush and if they are in a town then it could be a little bit longer.”
According to reports, the Manitoba RCMP announced today (Wednesday) they are scaling back the search for the two suspects after officers search over 11-thousand square kilometres of wilderness.
Police acknowledge the search in the Gillam area is not over, but resources are being re-deployed.