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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Neighbour's brush with suspect a chilling one in retrospect

By: Gabrielle Giroday

Posted: 06/26/2012 1:00 AM

IT was odd encounter with a man now accused of killing three Winnipeg women.

Michael Gachenga, 19, said he was in bed in his Sutherland Avenue apartment last week when a woman accidentally wandered in, followed by Shawn Lamb.

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Lamb had moved into a suite in the apartment building at 123 Sutherland Ave. about two months ago, said Gachenga.

Lamb, who often had female guests, had some words of wisdom for the young man.

"He's like, 'Keep your door locked, because there's crazy people out there,' " recalled Gachenga.

The pair left without making any trouble, he said.

And the 52-year-old man could sometimes be overheard arguing with his guests, said Gachenga.

He said, however, he found the news of Lamb's arrest "super-messed-up," because he thought he was a "pretty cool guy" who played rap.

Police had executed a search warrant at the apartment Sunday, Gachenga said, carrying out two black plastic bags.

Lamb moved there after he was evicted from another apartment block at the corner of Notre Dame Avenue and Beverley Street. A resident, named Nadine, said Lamb played loud music from his first-floor suite.

The caretaker of the block, who did not want his name used, said he called 911 three times after Lamb displayed violent behaviour.

Lamb lived at that property from about August or September 2011 to February 2012, he said.

"My heart is feeling sorry for the people who died," said the caretaker. The suite, which costs $650 a month to rent, was clean and empty of furniture Monday afternoon.

The caretaker said police arrived last month to speak with him, and officers searched the apartment for evidence.

Steps away from the apartment is the vacant Simcoe Street home where the body of Lorna Blacksmith was discovered in the backyard last week.

The location where the body of Carolyn Sinclair was found in a Dumpster near Notre Dame and Toronto Street in March is about two blocks away.

gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 26, 2012 A4