Jeremy Skibicki threatened to kill two previous partners in the last seven years, according to a court hearing involving one woman and a protection order filed by the other.
In June 2015, the Winnipeg man — now charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of four women — was convicted of assaulting his common-law partner. After spending about two months behind bars, he was sentenced to two years probation.
According to a statement of facts agreed to by Crown and defence attorneys, Skibicki grabbed his pregnant partner’s hair and punched her in the face several times, then tried to strangle her.
He told her he would kill her if she called police.
That woman applied for a protection order against Skibicki that same year, saying in her application she feared “he won’t stop until I’m dead.”
The application for the protection order was dismissed, but it’s not clear why.
The conditions of his probation from the assault conviction required that he stay away from his partner and not make contact for two years.
Four years later, another woman — Skibicki’s estranged wife — successfully filed for a protection order against him, alleging in both an application for the order and a hearing that she suffered a litany of abuse at his hands and that he threatened to kill her.
“He has suggested he would kill me or that other gangs will abduct me and torture or kill me or traffic me,” and “told me he would put me in a garbage bag,” she wrote in her application for the protection order.
“I’m actually extremely afraid for my life,” she later said in the hearing for the protection order.
4 women killed
There was also an assault charge against Skibicki that was stayed.
The mother of the estranged wife says it was for attacking her daughter, who is Métis, in January 2021.
CBC News is not naming the women because they are victims of abuse. Both of them identify as Indigenous.
Skibicki is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths three other First Nations women — Marcedes Myran, Morgan Harris and Rebecca Contois — and a fourth woman who police believe is also Indigenous. All four were killed between March and May of this year, police say.
Left to right: Morgan Beatrice Harris, Marcedes Myran and Rebecca Contois. Skibicki was charged in May in connection with Contois’s death. Last Thursday, Winnipeg police said he was also charged in the deaths of Harris and Myran, as well as the woman community members are calling Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, or Buffalo Woman. (Submitted by Cambria Harris, Donna Bartlett and Darryl Contois)
None of the allegations against Skibicki have been proven in court.
His lawyer says he will plead not guilty to all four charges when his trial begins in the new year.
Three months earlier, during a Dec. 14, 2021, hearing in Manitoba provincial court, Skibicki’s estranged wife said she was afraid, alleging he threatened to harm her family and kill her teenage son, according to court documents.
“I don’t want to be afraid, but I know what I’ve been through with Mr. Skibicki — Jeremy. That is not the person that I married,” the woman said before Judge Sidney Lerner.
“When he is angry, it’s like somebody else is in the room. I call him Scary Jerry.… I don’t even recognize the eyes anymore. But needless to say, I was afraid.”
Two former spouses of Jeremy Skibicki allege that he threatened their lives and abused them, according to court documents. (Jeremy Skibicki/Facebook)
Skibicki met the woman in February 2018 at Siloam Mission, where she was waiting for a bed, according to her mother, whom CBC News is not naming to protect the daughter’s identity.
The mother said Skibicki offered her daughter a place to stay, and they were married less than a year later. On their wedding day, the woman was “under the influence,” according to a transcript from the protection order hearing in September 2019.
It says four days later, she went to detox for meth.
Allegations of abuse
In that same court hearing, Skibicki’s estranged wife alleged she suffered a range of violence at the hands of her husband.
She said she was taking strong medication at night to sleep, and he would use that opportunity to rape her while she was sleeping, calling it her “Sleeping Beauty syndrome.”
“I woke up with my underwear down, and he had given me an STD, and that’s how I caught him with his so-called fetish,” she said in the protection order hearing.
She said Skibicki once tried to suffocate her by holding a pillow over her face, according to her protection order application.
He also threatened to kill her, that document says.
On another occasion, Skibicki allegedly forced her to stay in their apartment for four days, she said at a protection order hearing.
Skibicki denied the accusations in court documents and said his wife was “not mentally sound.”
Candles and photos were placed at a vigil for Morgan Harris last week. The mother of Jeremy Skibicki’s estranged wife says she’s heartbroken for the families of the women he is now accused of killing. (Austin Grabish/CBC)
His previous partner said in her 2015 application for a protection order that Skibicki had expressed violent fantasies to her.
“Jeremy Skibicki has admitted fantasizing about raping me then choking me to death.… He had smothered me so bad my teeth started to bleed,” she wrote in the application.
Earlier that year, when Skibicki was found guilty of assaulting his partner, he apologized to her at the assault hearing.
“This is something I’ve been thinking about every day.… I almost killed myself following that happening. I thought at the time that it was an appropriate punishment for what I did,” he said in court.
“I really do need to get some help.”
In that case, he was ordered to take part in anger management and domestic abuse counselling.
The mother of Skibicki’s estranged wife says she and her daughter are heartbroken for those who loved Buffalo Woman, Harris, Myran and Contois.
“We feel horrible for the families.”
Support is available for anyone affected by details of this case. If you require support, you can contact Ka Ni Kanichihk’s Medicine Bear Counselling, Support and Elder Services at 204-594-6500, ext. 102 or 104, (within Winnipeg) or 1-888-953-5264 (outside Winnipeg).
Support is also available via Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Liaison unit at 1-800-442-0488 or 204-677-1648.
LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – A southern Alberta man has been charged with attempted murder after a woman was bludgeoned in her sleep.
Police in Lethbridge responded early Tuesday morning to a report that a man had broken into a home and attacked a 27-year-old woman who was asleep in her bedroom.
They say the woman does not know the accused and are calling it a random act of violence.
The investigation determined the man entered through an open ground-floor window and, once inside, obtained an unspecified object that he used to bludgeon the woman before fleeing through the same window.
The woman was admitted to hospital with serious head injuries.
A suspect was arrested on Wednesday.
Corbin John Maxwell, 28, of Coaldale, is charged with attempted murder and housebreaking with intent and is to be in court next Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Hallmark launching a streaming service with two new original series, and Bill Skarsgård out for revenge in “Boy Kills World” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Alex Garland’s “Civil War” starring Kirsten Dunst, Natasha Rothwell’s heartfelt comedy for Hulu called “How to Die Alone” and Sylvester Stallone’s second season of “Tulsa King” debuts.
NEW MOVIES TO STREAM SEPT. 9-15
— Alex Garland’s “Civil War” is finally making its debut on MAX on Friday. The film stars Kirsten Dunst as a veteran photojournalist covering a violent war that’s divided America; She reluctantly allows an aspiring photographer, played by Cailee Spaeny, to tag along as she, an editor (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and a reporter (Wagner Moura) make the dangerous journey to Washington, D.C., to interview the president (Nick Offerman), a blustery, rising despot who has given himself a third term, taken to attacking his citizens and shut himself off from the press. In my review, I called it a bellowing and haunting experience; Smart and thought-provoking with great performances. It’s well worth a watch.
— Joey King stars in Netflix’s adaptation of Scott Westerfeld’s “Uglies,” about a future society in which everyone is required to have beautifying cosmetic surgery at age 16. Streaming on Friday, McG directed the film, in which King’s character inadvertently finds herself in the midst of an uprising against the status quo. “Outer Banks” star Chase Stokes plays King’s best friend.
— Bill Skarsgård is out for revenge against the woman (Famke Janssen) who killed his family in “Boy Kills World,” coming to Hulu on Friday. Moritz Mohr directed the ultra-violent film, of which Variety critic Owen Gleiberman wrote: “It’s a depraved vision, yet I got caught up in its kick-ass revenge-horror pizzazz, its disreputable commitment to what it was doing.”
— The year was 2006. Snow Patrol, the Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band, released an album, “Eyes Open,” producing the biggest hit of their career: “Chasing Cars.” A lot has happened in the time since — three, soon to be four quality full-length albums, to be exact. On Friday, the band will release “The Forest Is the Path,” their first new album in seven years. Anthemic pop-rock is the name of the game across songs of love and loss, like “All,”“The Beginning” and “This Is the Sound Of Your Voice.”
— For fans of raucous guitar music, Jordan Peele’s 2022 sci-fi thriller, “NOPE,” provided a surprising, if tiny, thrill. One of the leads, Emerald “Em” Haywood portrayed by Keke Palmer, rocks a Jesus Lizard shirt. (Also featured through the film: Rage Against the Machine, Wipers, Mr Bungle, Butthole Surfers and Earth band shirts.) The Austin noise rock band are a less than obvious pick, having been signed to the legendary Touch and Go Records and having stopped releasing new albums in 1998. That changes on Friday the 13th, when “Rack” arrives. And for those curious: The Jesus Lizard’s intensity never went away.
— Hallmark launched a streaming service called Hallmark+ on Tuesday with two new original series, the scripted drama “The Chicken Sisters” and unscripted series “Celebrations with Lacey Chabert.” If you’re a Hallmark holiday movies fan, you know Chabert. She’s starred in more than 30 of their films and many are holiday themed. Off camera, Chabert has a passion for throwing parties and entertaining. In “Celebrations,” deserving people are surprised with a bash in their honor — planned with Chabert’s help. “The Chicken Sisters” stars Schuyler Fisk, Wendie Malick and Lea Thompson in a show about employees at rival chicken restaurants in a small town. The eight-episode series is based on a novel of the same name.
— Natasha Rothwell of “Insecure” and “The White Lotus” fame created and stars in a new heartfelt comedy for Hulu called “How to Die Alone.” She plays Mel, a broke, go-along-to-get-along, single, airport employee who, after a near-death experience, makes the conscious decision to take risks and pursue her dreams. Rothwell has been working on the series for the past eight years and described it to The AP as “the most vulnerable piece of art I’ve ever put into the world.” Like Mel, Rothwell had to learn to bet on herself to make the show she wanted to make. “In the Venn diagram of me and Mel, there’s significant overlap,” said Rothwell. It premieres Friday on Hulu.
— Shailene Woodley, DeWanda Wise and Betty Gilpin star in a new drama for Starz called “Three Women,” about entrepreneur Sloane, homemaker Lina and student Maggie who are each stepping into their power and making life-changing decisions. They’re interviewed by a writer named Gia (Woodley.) The series is based on a 2019 best-selling book of the same name by Lisa Taddeo. “Three Women” premieres Friday on Starz.
— Sylvester Stallone’s second season of “Tulsa King” debuts Sunday on Paramount+. Stallone plays Dwight Manfredi, a mafia boss who was recently released from prison after serving 25 years. He’s sent to Tulsa to set up a new crime syndicate. The series is created by Taylor Sheridan of “Yellowstone” fame.
— One thing about the title of Focus Entertainment’s Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 — you know exactly what you’re in for. You are Demetrian Titus, a genetically enhanced brute sent into battle against the Tyranids, an insectoid species with an insatiable craving for human flesh. You have a rocket-powered suit of armor and an arsenal of ridiculous weapons like the “Chainsword,” the “Thunderhammer” and the “Melta Rifle,” so what could go wrong? Besides the squishy single-player mode, there are cooperative missions and six-vs.-six free-for-alls. You can suit up now on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S or PC.
— Likewise, Wild Bastards isn’t exactly the kind of title that’s going to attract fans of, say, Animal Crossing. It’s another sci-fi shooter, but the protagonists are a gang of 13 varmints — aliens and androids included — who are on the run from the law. Each outlaw has a distinctive set of weapons and special powers: Sarge, for example, is a robot with horse genes, while Billy the Squid is … well, you get the idea. Australian studio Blue Manchu developed the 2019 cult hit Void Bastards, and this Wild-West-in-space spinoff has the same snarky humor and vibrant, neon-drenched cartoon look. Saddle up on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch or PC.
HALIFAX – An energy firm based in Ireland says it is planning to produce aviation fuel using about 700,000 tonnes of wood biomass annually.
Simply Blue Group announced today that construction would begin in 2026 with the bio fuel project expected to be operating by 2029 in Goldboro, N.S., about 165 kilometres northeast of Halifax.
The company says it has secured about 305 hectares of land for development, including 108 hectares previously owned by Pieridae — which had planned to build an LNG plant at the site — and 198 hectares owned by the Municipality of the District of Guysborough.
Based in Cork, Ireland, the company says its aviation fuel performs like conventional jet fuel but reduces greenhouse gases by “approximately 90 per cent.”
Simply Blue says that every year the project will source about 700,000 tonnes of biomass from Wagner Forest NS Ltd. to produce 150,000 tonnes of the fuel.
Tory Rushton, the province’s natural resources minister, issued a statement saying the plant could represent a new market for the province’s forestry sector.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
