‘It's a start of healing': Ashlee Shingoose's jacket returned to family

CTV News

3 days ago

Albert and Theresa Shingoose (right) with the jacket believed to have been worn by their daughter Ashlee on Aug. 13, 2025. (Melissa Robinson)
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The jacket believed to have been worn by Ashlee Shingoose prior to her murder was returned to her parents on Wednesday afternoon.
'It's very overwhelming,' said Albert Shingoose, Ashlee's father, to CTV News.
Ashlee, a 30-year-old from St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation, is believed to have been killed in March 2022 while in Winnipeg at the hands of convicted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki.
For years, her identity remained unknown, and she was gifted the name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, which means Buffalo Woman, by members of the Indigenous community.
Ashlee Shingoose
Ashlee Shingoose is pictured in an undated photo. (WPS handout)
The black-and-white Baby Phat brand jacket was seized by the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) in the summer of 2022 and images of the jacket were made public to help identify her.
In March, police made a positive identification using DNA located on evidence seized during the investigation into Jeremy Skibicki.
'It's very nice to have something of hers, to get her jacket back,' said Albert, 'but still, we are still looking forward to (bringing) Ashlee home.'
The jacket was returned to Ashlee's parents by WPS Chief Gene Bowers after being requested, according to Albert. He said the exchange happened in a park with supporters.
'For me, it's a start of healing,' said Theresa Shingoose, Ashlee's mother.
Albert and Theresa Shingoose (right) said the death of their daughter Ashlee has left them heartbroken. (Danton Unger/CTV News Winnipeg)
Albert and Theresa Shingoose (right) said the death of their daughter Ashlee has left them heartbroken. (Danton Unger/CTV News Winnipeg)
'We're starting to go on a healing journey, and I'm very thankful to have met the people that I know that were there. They were a big support for us, and we were able to go through what we went through yesterday.'
Chief Raymond Flett of St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation said the moment he saw the jacket returned to Ashlee's parents, it felt like 'some sort of closure is starting.'
'The disappearance and the circumstances surrounding (the) late Ashlee Shingoose has deeply affected not just family, not just our nation, St. Theresa Point, but also for our region,' said Flett.
Kinew confirms landfill search underway
Police believe that Ashlee's body was placed in a garbage bin behind a commercial business in the 1300 block of Henderson Highway, which was taken to the Brady Road landfill, according to the March news release identifying Ashlee.
On Wednesday, Premier Wab Kinew confirmed that workers have started excavating a section of the landfill in Winnipeg where they plan to search for her remains later this year.
'I can tell you that in addition to the excavation tests being underway this week, we've also done ground-penetrating radar testing, and then we're going to be using a few other sampling approaches to try and see whether they might bring anything else to the table,' said Kinew.
'Manitoba is a place where if somebody goes missing, we go looking,' he said. 'We just want them to know that we can't guarantee the outcome, but we're going to try.'
Contois Harris Myran
Rebecca Contois (left), Morgan Beatrice Harris (centre), and Marcedes Myran (right) are among the other victims of Jeremy Skibicki. (CTV News photo)
In July 2024, Skibicki was convicted in the killings of Ashlee (whose identity was then unknown), Morgan Harris, 39, Marcedes Myran, 26, and Rebecca Contois, 24. All four victims were First Nations women.
Police first became aware of Skibicki's crimes after the partial remains of Contois were found in a garbage bin in May 2022. The remains of Harris and Myran were discovered this year at the Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg.
Court hearing set for impact statements
On Friday, the Manitoba Court of King's Bench is holding a hearing to receive victim and community impact statements from Ashlee's family and community members, at the request of the Crown.
In a statement, the court said the hearing is appropriate and necessary to give Ashlee's family the same opportunity as relatives of the other victims and to 'acknowledge the dignity of the victim and make real the suffering of, and impact on, the victim's family.'
As Skibicki's trial has ended, the court said the special hearing will not impact his 'legal jeopardy' and that it can't order him to attend.
The court's statement said it has been advised that Skibicki will not be present at the hearing, but that his lawyers will be there.
'I'll be needing lots of support,' said Albert, speaking about heading into Friday's hearing.
'I wanted to talk to that Skibicki in person and tell him how it feels, what he put my family into, and how it's very, very hurting.'
Theresa described all the support they have received throughout the ordeal as a 'blessing.'
'To have known this feeling, that gives us hope,' she said.
-With files from CTV's Danton Unger