Family of one of the teens wanted in a nation-wide manhunt say they are stuck inside their home grappling with the reality that their son has been named a suspect in three B.C. deaths.
On Tuesday, police made a shocking announcement that Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, are now suspects in three deaths that occurred across northern B.C. after police first reported the young men as missing.
Both Port Alberni teens have been on the lam and police have warned the public not to approach them if they are spotted.
In a statement obtained from Kam McLeod’s father by CTV News Vancouver Island on Wednesday, the family says they are struggling.
Keith McLeod starts the letter by reaching out to “the people who truly care.”
"I’m sitting at home worrying about my son," he writes. "Relentless media hounding us for information that we don’t have."
McLeod says what the family does know is that their son is kind, considerate and a caring young man who has always been concerned about other people’s feelings.
"As we are trapped in our homes due to media people, we try to wrap our heads around what is happening," he writes. "[We] hope that Kam will come home to us safely so we can all get to the bottom of this story."
Lisa and Glenn Lucas say their son, now 19 years old, used to play with Schmegelsky when the two were in junior high school.
"He was a nice kid, very quiet but after a while he quit coming around," Lisa said of Schmegelsky, whom she described as very interested in violent video games.
"He would mention things about if this was real when they were playing video games, like 'Can you imagine if this was real?' kind of a thing. And he'd get a little too excited about it."
Lisa went on to say her heart is breaking for all the families involved.
"It would just be nice if we could get some answers to what's happening and find these kids, get some closure to what's happening," she said. "Just having that kid in my house just shocks me."
"It's sad to hear about," Glenn added. "A lot of people are shocked."
Police are continuing to search for the pair after they were reportedly seen in the area of Gillam, Man. on Tuesday.
