By Mireille Jaillet
Rebecca Contois. Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe. Marcedes Myran. Morgan Beatrice Harris.
Taking a moment to reflect. Taking a long moment of silence for these women. One by one, found among garbage. Discarded by a coward. A weak man who thought that they were easy prey, and he wasn’t entirely wrong. He, however, underestimated the determination of their families whose resilience was built into their very DNA.
On International Women’s Day, I received the news that on February 26th, 2025, the remains of both Morgan Harris and Mercedes Myran (the last two victims of the 2022 Winnipeg serial killer) had been located after months of searching and years of battles with local and federal authorities to initiate the search.
The moment my eyes read the article posted on the Manitoba news site, Prairie Green Landfill Search Bulletin #4 confirming the discovery of remains identified as Morgan Harris and Mercedes Myran, they burned with tears and my chest grew tight. Not because I knew the women in question but because I knew of the void that had been left behind when she was lost and of the grieving families and communities that were deeply impacted. There was an ache in my heart when remembering how hard these families fought, how they refused to give up, knowing deep in their bones that they could and would find her if only given the chance and they were met with obstacles, disbelief and condescension.
Their resilience remained and it paid off. A tragic victory.
The mission, initiated by the Manitoba government at the request of the families of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, was operated in conjunction with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and with support from the Federal Government.
“They” said it couldn’t be done. “They” said it wasn’t worth the risk. “They” were wrong.
These lost women coming home will bring healing to countless many. Not only the family members who felt that loss like a festering wound but for those who were never able to get such closure. And for women who fear a same fate. It is a step forward in valuing human beings over capitalism. One step closer to honouring life instead of money and bureaucracy. If any lesson is learned from this. It should be that finding these remains is enough justification for a continued search of the landfills. Resources must be provided to support these searches so that the process becomes easier, less cumbersome and with more skilled efforts.
As for our society, I hope this removes barriers in similar searches around the country. MMIW must be recognized and valued. All those missing and murdered should be recognized and valued, searched for and hopefully found.
To the families who fought hard to get not only justice for Morgan and Marcedes but also peace: we are so very proud of you, and we are inspired by you. May you find comfort and healing.
To Marcedes and Morgan, welcome home.