A Hate-Driven Serial Killer
Jeremy Skibicki and What Happens When Racism, Misogyny and Sexual Violence Collide
In 2022, the city of Winnipeg, Canada, was rocked by the horrific murders of four Indigenous women: Rebecca Contois, 24; Morgan Harris, 39; Marcedes Myran, 26; and an unidentified woman named Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe ("Buffalo Woman") by Indigenous community leaders. These crimes have robbed eight children of their mothers. The details that have emerged are as heartbreaking as they are disturbing - a toxic mix of racism, misogyny, and sexual violence that has left a community reeling and demanding answers.
39-year-old Morgan Harris (mother of five), 26-year-old Marcedes Myran (mother of two), and 24-year-old Rebecca Contois (mother of one)
As a forensic psychologist, I have been following this case closely, trying to understand the twisted motivations and pathologies that could lead someone to commit such heinous acts. While much remains unknown about the alleged perpetrator, 37-year-old Jeremy Skibicki and the specifics of his crimes, we can gain some critical insights from the information available thus far.
A History of White Supremacy, Domestic Violence and Animal Cruelty
One of the most disturbing revelations to emerge about Jeremy Skibicki is his admitted white supremacist views. It is not yet clear how long Skibicki held these racist beliefs or what specifically led him down this path. His personal Facebook page contained violent material, in addition to antisemitic, misogynistic, and white supremacist material. Online, he described himself as a member of "Holy Europe", the "Alliance of Patriotic Parallel Movements of European Folks" (APPMEF), a far-right organization that promotes the belief that white Europeans need to preserve their bloodlines from being diluted by race-mixing, multiculturalism, and immigration. During a police interrogation, he claimed that the killings were racially motivated and that he targeted Indigenous women to prevent what he saw as the "extinction" of the white race. This shocking admission suggests a deep-seated hatred and prejudice that likely festered long before these crimes.
Another harbinger of Skibicki’s future violence was his cruelty to animals. Animal cruelty has been linked to future violent behavior in numerous studies (Overton et al., 2012). In Skibicki's case, court documents have revealed that he engaged in animal abuse from a young age and that this cruelty continued into his adult years (Grabish, 2023). The mere presence of this type of behavior in childhood is a concerning indicator of a lack of empathy and a propensity for violence, which he repeatedly demonstrated as an adult. It will come as a surprise to no one that he violently abused two former partners, including strangling and beating one when she was pregnant and raping and smothering another. For these horrendous acts, he received two months in prison and two years of probation. His victims received ongoing threats and denials of requested protection orders.
Racist Hate as a Motive for Serial Murder
The intersection of hate crimes and serial murder is a disturbing and complex issue that has emerged in several high-profile cases over the years. While not all hate crimes escalate to serial killings, and not all serial killers are primarily motivated by racial or ethnic hatred, there are some notorious examples of this deadly combination.
Research by the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit suggests that while serial murder is relatively rare, there is a concerning overlap with hate crime motives. In their study of serial killers operating in the U.S. between 1995 and 2013, approximately six percent were motivated, at least in part, by bias against a racial, ethnic, or religious group. However, this is likely an underestimate, as the study only included cases with clear evidence of bias. Many serial killers who target marginalized groups may hold less overt prejudices.
Some of the most infamous examples of racially-motivated serial killers include Joseph Paul Franklin, who targeted interracial couples, Black people, and Jewish people in the 1970s and 80s; Robert Berdella, the "Kansas City Butcher" who tortured and killed young men, several of whom were Black; and Joseph Christopher, the "Midtown Slasher" who killed 12 Black men in New York and claimed he wanted to start a race war. Jeremy Skibicki will now be added to this horrific list.
Understanding the psychological factors that drive this type of hate-motivated violence is crucial for prevention and intervention efforts.
Preying on the Vulnerable
Another key aspect of Skibicki's alleged crimes is the way he targeted his victims. According to prosecutors, he deliberately sought out Indigenous women at homeless shelters, exploiting their vulnerability and marginalization. This calculated predation speaks to a disturbing level of callousness and a belief that these women were somehow "disposable" or less worthy of life.
The tragic reality is that Indigenous women and girls in Canada and the United States face disproportionately high rates of violence, poverty, and homelessness due to a long history of systemic racism and discrimination. This injustice has created a situation where they are at heightened risk of being targeted by predators like Skibicki, who see them as easy prey.
We know frustratingly little about the individual lives and stories of Skibicki's alleged victims - Rebecca Contois, Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, and Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe. At just 24 years old, Contois had her whole life ahead of her. Harris and Myran were just 39 and 26. And the woman known as Buffalo Woman hasn't even been identified yet. Someday, her family may learn what happened to her, but for now, she remains anonymous - a tragic symbol of the invisibility and devaluation of Indigenous women's lives. The fact that one of Skibicki's alleged victims remains nameless underscores the marginalization that too many Indigenous women face. Their stories deserve to be known and honored as we grapple with this senseless violence.
The Role of Sexual Violence
According to court documents, he not only killed his victims but sexually assaulted them both before and after his crimes. The intersection of racial hatred and sexual violence is a complex and disturbing phenomenon that has surfaced in other cases of hate-motivated killings. For some serial offenders, the sexual component of their crimes is a way to degrade further and exert power over a despised group. By violating victims in the most violently intimate way possible, they seek to reinforce their twisted sense of dominance and superiority. This abuse adds a particularly heinous and depraved dimension to an already horrific set of acts.
In Skibicki's case, his white supremacist views likely played a role in his choice of victims and the sadistic nature of his alleged crimes. By targeting Indigenous women for sexual assault and murder, he may have felt he was subjugating a group he viewed as inferior or disposable. It is a devastating manifestation of racist and misogynistic hatred pushed to its deadliest extreme.
The Path to Radicalization
One of the key questions in the wake of Jeremy Skibicki's arrest is how he came to hold such virulent white supremacist views and whether he had any ties to organized hate groups. The process of radicalization is often gradual, with individuals exposed to increasingly extreme ideas over time through social media, online forums, or personal relationships. In Skibicki's case, it is not yet known what specific influences or experiences may have pushed him toward such hateful views, but it is clear that he had embraced a deeply disturbing and dangerous worldview.
The role of mental illness in cases like this is also a complex issue. While some perpetrators of hate crimes and mass violence do have diagnosed mental health conditions, it is essential not to conflate these issues or suggest that mental illness is the primary driver of their actions (Varshney et al., 2016). Racism, misogyny, and other forms of prejudice are not mental illnesses; they are learned beliefs and attitudes that must be confronted and dismantled at a societal level.
Skibicki's lawyers have indicated that they will pursue a "not criminally responsible" defense, arguing that he was incapable of understanding the nature and consequences of his actions due to mental illness. In Canada, this defense is used when an accused person's mental disorder renders them unable to appreciate the nature and quality of their actions or know that it was wrong. If successful, the accused is diverted to the forensic mental health system for treatment rather than criminally convicted.
However, the bar for this defense is high, and it is relatively rare in murder cases. Skibicki would need to undergo extensive psychiatric assessments to determine if he had a mental disorder that severely impaired his judgment at the time of the killings. Even if Skibicki has a mental illness, this does not mean he will be found not criminally responsible. The defense will hinge on psychiatric evidence and legal arguments weighing his mental state and culpability.
Regardless of the outcome of Skibicki's specific case, it is crucial not to let a potential mental illness defense obscure the role that hatred and extremism played in these crimes. We must be able to reckon with the real-life harms caused by white supremacy and misogyny, even as we acknowledge the complex individual factors that can lead someone down a path of radicalization and violence.
The Community Impact
The arrest of Jeremy Skibicki and the revelations about his alleged crimes have sent shockwaves through the community of Winnipeg and beyond. For the families and loved ones of Rebecca Contois, Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, and Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, the pain and grief are unimaginable. They are left to grapple not only with the loss of these vibrant young women but with the knowledge that a predator targeted them because of their race and their vulnerable circumstances.
For the broader Indigenous community, these murders are yet another tragic reminder of the ongoing epidemic of violence against Indigenous women and girls in Canada. The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls found that this violence amounts to a "race-based genocide" and that urgent action is needed to address the systemic factors that contribute to it.
The fact that Skibicki was allegedly able to carry out these crimes undetected for months, preying on vulnerable women with impunity, speaks to the failures of our society to protect those most at risk. It is a damning indictment of the racism, sexism, and indifference that too often characterizes the response to violence against Indigenous women and girls.
Moving Forward
As the legal process unfolds in the case of Jeremy Skibicki, there will undoubtedly be more difficult revelations and painful moments for the families and communities affected by these crimes. It is crucial that we not lose sight of the human toll of this violence and the urgent need for action to prevent more lives from being taken, confronting the root causes of hatred and extremism in our society, whether it takes the form of overt white supremacist ideologies or more insidious biases and prejudices.
It also means providing better support and resources for marginalized communities, including safe housing, mental health services, and economic opportunities. And it means holding perpetrators accountable for their actions while also working to dismantle the societal conditions that enable and excuse their violence. It’s a reminder of how much work there is to be done.
The Bottom Line
The case of Jeremy Skibicki is a stark reminder of the deadly consequences of hatred, racism, and misogyny. His actions represent a horrifying intersection of white supremacist ideologies and sexual violence that has left four Indigenous women dead and a community in mourning.
While the legal process will seek to hold Skibicki accountable for his alleged crimes, the wider societal reckoning must continue. We must confront the root causes of hate and violence in our communities, provide better support and protection for those most at risk, and work tirelessly to dismantle the systems of oppression that enable these tragedies to occur.
As we remember Rebecca Contois, Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, and Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, let us also recommit ourselves to the urgent work of building a more just and equitable world. It is a task that will require courage, compassion, and a steadfast determination to confront the darkest aspects of human nature. But it is also a task that we cannot ignore for the sake of all those whose lives have been shattered by hate and violence.
In the words of the late Maya Angelou, "History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again." Let us face the painful history and present reality of violence against Indigenous women with courage, and let us work towards a future where no one has to be afraid just because of who they are.
Other Serial Killer News In the News
“Psycho” is Locked Up for Life
Twenty-nine-year-old serial killer Adre Jordan Baroz, aka “Psycho” will spend the rest of his life behind bars in a Colorado prison. He pled guilty to killing five people over seven weeks in the fall of 2020. He was arrested in November 2020 after human remains were discovered dumped in burn pits on two of his properties. Codependent Julius Baroz, Adre’s thirty-three-year-old brother, was sentenced to twenty-five years for conspiracy to commit murder, while another codefendant, forty-one-year-old Francisco Ramirez was sentenced to three counts of tampering.
Adre Jordan Baroz
The deceased:
Selena Esquibel, 19, was allegedly murdered because Adre Baroz believed she was publicizing a sexual assault he committed against her (that assault has not been confirmed).
Xavier Zeven Garcia, 26, reportedly died while trying to collect money from Adre Baroz for helping dispose of Esquibel's body. Per case documents, his remains have not been found.
Myron Martinez, 38, died while purchasing drugs from Adre Baroz.
Shayla Hammel, 34, Martinez's girlfriend was waiting in a car outside Baroz's apartment at the time Martinez was murdered. She was allegedly killed by Julius Baroz at his brother's behest.
Korina Arroyo, 32, was scheduled to testify in a drug case against Adre Baroz.
The search was initiated after family members of the victims reported them missing to law enforcement.
London Serial Subway Pusher May Have Had More Victims
As someone with three adult kids living in NYC, reading about innocent subway riders suddenly pushed to their deaths in front of an approaching train while waiting on the platform sets my teeth on edge. How can anyone protect themselves against a random stranger suddenly shoving you right in the path of an oncoming death machine? You don’t have time to react, the train can’t stop, and there’s no way to predict when it’s going to happen or who’s going to do it. In March 2024, New York City Mayor Kathy Hochel became so alarmed by subway-related crimes that she sent in 1,000 members of the National Guard and the State Police to help people feel safer.
But did you know that this is not a new crime and that a serial killer may have once used the subway push as one of his modus operandi of murder? According to the detective who conducted the 1984 investigation of Londoner Kieran Kelly’s crimes, Kelly’s first murder occurred in 1953, when he shoved his best friend, Christy Smith, on the Underground Tube’s tracks after Smith made a snarky comment about Kelly still being single at 30. Apparently, Kelly took this as a veiled suggestion that he was gay, a thought that was intolerable to the homophobic murderer.
Kieran Patrick Kelly
While Kelly was only convicted of two murders (one being a cellmate whose snoring kept Kelly awake), Detective Geoff Platt stated that, during the 1970s, Kelly was suspected of pushing many victims onto the tracks. He would then hang around to speak with police officers, recounting stories of how the victims had shared their marital woes or financial issues before they met their tragic end under a train. He would then tell the officers that he was there when the poor soul committed suicide by hurling themselves in front of the tube. Platt believes that the odds of Kelly coincidentally witnessing this number of “suicides” were as likely as winning the jackpot in the Powerball Lottery.
Pop Quiz
And, last but not least, which one of these states is not in the top seven when it comes to the most serial killers? The answer will be in our next newsletter.
California
New York
Alaska
Texas
Washington
Lousiana
Florida
Thank for you reading the Sunday Serial Killer Spotlight edition of The Mind Detective. Please share with your true-crime-watching friends. And, if there’s a case you’d like us to cover, please speak up!