The rural southeast was rattled on Thursday, March 25 when the RCMP were called to investigate a disturbance along River Road near Lorette. The call, alerting authorities about a break-and-enter in progress, came in at 1:15 a.m.
When officers arrived on the scene, two people were discovered deceased, a 77-year-old man and a 73-year-old woman. The police have dubbed the crime a double homicide.
The community has been shaken by the news.
While officers were still at the residence, they received an additional report of a suspicious man travelling on foot some distance away, along Highway 59. The man, later identified as 27-year-old Karlton Dean Reimer of Steinbach, was arrested.
One kilometre away from the site of the arrest, south of Île-des-Chênes at the corner of Highways 59 and 210, a stolen vehicle was located that was linked to the crime. The vehicle was seized as part of the investigation.
Later that same day, Reimer was charged with two counts of second degree murder and taken into custody. At the time of the charges being filed, no known connection had been found between the victims and the accused.