Steinbach RCMP are reporting that a 20-year-old Winnipeg man has recently been arrested and charged in connection to a homicide that occurred at a Steinbach residence.
On August 27, 2022, at 1:40pm, Steinbach RCMP received a call indicating that a homicide had occurred. Responding to the call, officers attended to a residence located on Creekside Drive in Steinbach to investigate.
Upon arrival at the scene, police noted that the suspect had already fled in his vehicle. Further investigation led officers to determine that the deceased victim was in the fleeing suspect’s vehicle.
Officers from multiple detachments, including Steinbach, Stonewall, Sprague and Headingley, as well as officers from Traffic Services, then began an intensive search for the suspect. Winnipeg Police Service also assisted as the suspect’s residence was within the city.
Police say that the suspect’s vehicle was eventually located near La Broquerie. Subsequently, a traffic stop was conducted west of town on Highway 52. During the traffic stop, the suspect was arrested and taken into custody.
Shortly after the arrest, the suspect’s vehicle caught on fire. Once the fire was extinguished by the local fire department, the vehicle was searched but the victim’s body was not located.
Information was later obtained that directed officers to a remote ATV trail in a rural area south of the community of Woodridge, where the body of a 20-year-old female was located.
RCMP report that 20-year-old Josh Benoit from Winnipeg was charged with first degree murder. He has been remanded into custody and scheduled to appear in provincial court.
Police noted that the suspect and victim were known to each other.
Major Crime Services and Forensic Identification Services continue to investigate this incident.
