TISDALE, Sask. – Three children and their mother are dead in Tisdale, Sask. and a fifth person has been found dead in another Saskatchewan community in a suspected murder suicide.
Mounties received a call around 5:40 p.m. Tuesday that a woman and her three children had not been heard from all day and could not be reached.
Police entered a residence in the community around 1 a.m. Wednesday where they discovered the bodies of the woman and three children under the age of nine.
Mounties have not confirmed the identity of the victims but believe them to be the same individuals reported missing on Tuesday. Police believe the homicides took place prior to them being reported missing.
Five people, including three children under the age of nine, dead in suspected murder suicide in Saskatchewan.
Wendy Winiewski / Global NewsA search was launched for the suspect, who was found dead in a Prince Albert residence Wednesday just before 6:30 a.m. His death is not considered a homicide and police say he was known to the victims.
Officers found a six-month-old infant with the man. The child is now in the care of social services.
Police are not releasing any other information at this time, including the names of the victims and the suspect, as they continue their investigation.
Within hours of the tragedy, a was set up to help the family offset the cost of funeral arrangements. A neighbour has confirmed with Global News the family pictured in the gofundme page was living in the trailer at the time of the murders.
A mother and her three children were killed in Tisdale, Sask, in a suspected murder-suicide. A fifth body, that of the alleged killer, was found in Prince Albert.
gofundme“It’s a shocker,” said the manager of the Wicks’ Mobile Home Park and Gas Bar on the edge of the town. Looking out his window, he said he could see several RCMP cruisers parked near one of his trailers surrounded with yellow tape.
He wouldn’t give his name, but said the dead woman and children had lived in one of his rental trailers for the past eight months, along with her husband and a young baby. He described them as a quiet and friendly family.
RCMP phoned him late Tuesday.
“I was called to come down at midnight and asked if I had a spare key for the place.”
He said the husband of the dead woman was also there and appeared very distraught.
“About all we can say is yes, we are in shock, and very saddened by this event,” said Al Jellicoe, mayor of the town of 3,200.
Premier Brad Wall also sent condolences out on Twitter soon after news spread of the killings.
Our thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and community dealing with the indescribable tragedy in Tisdale.
— Brad Wall (@PremierBradWall)
Tisdale is located 210 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.
© Shaw Media, 2015