OHSWEKEN – Six Nations Elected Chief Ava Hill requested privacy for surviving families after police released the identities of three homicide victims recovered in a field off Bodkin Road outside of Oneida Nations of the Thames last weekend.
OPP confirmed the identities of the deceased as 37 year old Melissa Trudy Miller, 33 year old Alan Grant Porter and 32 year old Micheal Shane Jamieson – all of Six Nations.
Police confirmed that the victims did not die of natural causes and an investigation into a triple homicide has begun — with police services from Six Nations, Oneida and OPP working together on the case.
“We are saddened to hear of the recent murder of three of our community members,” said Six Nations Elected Chief Ava Hill. “Our thoughts now are with the family members and our community agencies are gathering together to provide support to the families and the community.”
Six Nations Health Services opened a crisis command centre for members of the community over the weekend to help cope with the grief of the discovery.
Chief Hill said, “We understand that this is an on-going police investigation by the OPP and we ask that the families be granted the privacy that they have requested”
Six Nations Health Services is providing extended hours for support in the community starting
Police were alerted to the presence of a grey pick-up truck in a field off of Bodkin Road on November 4 were the three victims were found dead. Police would not confirm if the deceased were inside the vehicle, as was previously reported by London media.
Post mortems were conducted on November 6 in Toronto and OPP say the cause of death was confirmed as homicides for each of the victims.
Little details have emerged save the date, time and location of the discovery along with a photo of a grey Chevy pick up truck believed to be involved.
We reached out to the OPP and spoke to Constable Max Gomez with OPP’s West Region Headquarters – Middlesex County and asked for clarification on the ongoing investigation.
Gomez said details about the scene are not being released to the public. This, he says, is an effort to not jeopardize the investigation.
“At this point the investigative team is focused on establishing an accurate timeline of the events, that is why we have released the information about a vehicle that was found at the location and ask anyone who may have been in the area to contact the tip line or Six Nations Police.”
Gomez said Police do not have a suspect in mind. With the communities of Oneida and Six Nations now tied together with four murders, community members are concerned.
The body of murder victim Douglas Hill was recovered in a shallow grave in August 2017 just a short distance away from where Miller, Jamieson and Porter were found.
According to reporting by Postmedia, Miller and Hill were common-law partners.
A 17 year old girl was charged in the death of Hill. Three others: Nicholas Joel Shipman, Holly Martin and Lori Anne Staats were charged. In October 2018 the charges against the three adults were dismissed with a judge citing insufficient evidence to carry the charges into a trial. The trial for the youth was set to begin on November 8. Postmedia reported the charges against the minor suspect were also dropped. TRT has been unable to independently confirm that report.
Shipman was arrested by OPP on November 3 in an unrelated car theft on Middleport Road.
Oneida Nations of the Thames Chief Jessica Hill said in a statement earlier in the week the situation points to the real need for Oneida to have increased security on the territory.
Gomez says while the recovery of the bodies on Sunday is a triple homicide that police don’t think there is a public safety risk.
Gomez said, “It is a homicide because the parties did not die from natural causes or decease. While this finding is cause for concern, the investigative findings at this time, do not suggest that there is an imminent threat to public safety. As always, we encourage members of the public to take personal safety seriously and report any suspicious activity or event to police by calling 911.”
Six Nations Police issued a statement saying they are now working with OPP in the investigation. Six Nations Victim Services said they were assisting the grieving families with supports.
OPP are expected to hold a press conference on Thursday at Six Nations to provide updates to the investigation.
Gomez said, “It is of utmost importance to us that communities affected are represented and engaged.”
Police are now asking for the public’s assistance. Anyone who may have any information is asked to contact a newly established police tip-line at 1-844-677-5050, the Six Nations Police
Service at 519-445-2811 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
