‘Eye for an eye’: Father of serial killer victim addresses special court hearing

CTV’s Danton Unger speaks with the family of Ashlee Shingoose about the news of a landfill search in Winnipeg for their daughter’s remains.

The father of a First Nations woman who died at the hands of a Winnipeg serial killer three years ago says he’s still angry and frustrated.

A special court hearing for the family and community of Ashlee Shingoose is being held in Manitoba’s Court of King’s Bench.

It comes a year after Jeremy Skibicki was convicted of the 2022 killings of Shingoose and three other First Nations women.

He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, but Shingoose was only identified after his trial.

Albert Shingoose told court he wanted to look Skibicki in the eye and address him in person.

But the killer isn’t at the hearing and isn’t required to attend.

“I would say to him, ‘I want an eye for an eye,”’ the father said while holding an eagle feather, flanked by other family and supporters.

Skibicki’s lawyer told court his client believed attending would “bring further harm” to the Shingoose family.

Chief Justice Glenn Joyal said Friday’s hearing is unique but necessary in order to give the woman’s family the same opportunity as relatives of the other murdered women, who were able to present victim impact statements before Skibicki was sentenced.

At the time of the trial, Shingoose was referred to in court as Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, or Buffalo Woman, a name given to her by Indigenous grassroots community members.

Police said earlier this year that new information after the trial led them to identify the unknown victim as Shingoose.

Premier Wab Kinew announced this week a preliminary search was underway at a Winnipeg landfill where police believe the remains of Shingoose were taken.

Skibicki’s trial heard he targeted the women at homeless shelters in Winnipeg and disposed of their bodies in garbage bins.

He admitted to the slayings but argued he was not criminally responsible due to a mental illness.

The remains of Rebecca Contois were first discovered in a bin in May 2022. More of her remains were then found at the Brady Road landfill.

The remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran were discovered this year at the Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg.

Kinew said the search of the city-run Brady Road site started with a small team excavating an area of the site. It’s also conducting ground-penetrating radar tests to narrow down a search area.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2025.

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press