A man in Canada has been arrested on charges of first-degree murder after the bodies of his three children were found in a burning car and the bodies of two other women — including his longtime partner — were found in separate locations, according to authorities.
The Canadian National Police Service arrested Ryan Howard Manoakeesick, 29, and charged him with five counts of murder in connection with the deaths of his partner, their three children and a member of their extended family, authorities said in a statement on Monday.
Identity of the Victims
The victims have been identified as his common-law partner Amanda Clearwater, 30; their three children Bethany Manoakeesick, 6, Jayven Manoakeesick, 4, and 2-month-old Isabella Manoakeesick; and 17-year-old Myah Grafton.
Details of the Crime
The bodies of the victims were found in separate locations in the Canadian province of Manitoba, authorities said in a previous statement.
On Sunday, police found the body of Clearwater while responding to a hit-and-run on a highway, authorities said in the statement.
About two hours later, police were notified about a burning vehicle, per the statement. When they responded to the scene, they found Manoakeesick, who was initially considered a ‘witness,’ seemingly trying to pull three children from the burning vehicle, the statement says.
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The children were all declared dead on the scene and police took Manoakeesick into custody, the statement said.
The investigation led authorities to a residence where they discovered the body of Gratton.
Prior to This Murder Case
Manoakeesick has a prior conviction for smashing an electronic display at a coffee shop.
In 2019, after he pleaded guilty to the charge related to the incident, a judge said in court that he needed to address his alleged addiction and mental health issues, the outlet reported.
‘If you don’t do something, eventually it’s going to cost you your family,’ the judge said, per the outlet.
It wasn’t immediately clear if Manoakeesick has entered a plea to the murder charges. An investigation is ongoing.
