Dad of man slain in cottage country says RCMP ‘tight-lipped’ about investigation No arrests made in killing of 29-year-old man, 41-year-old woman By: Chris Kitching Posted: 5:48 PM CDT Wednesday, Jul. 2, 2025 Last Modified: 5:58 PM CDT Wednesday, Jul. 2, 2025 Updates

The family of a 29-year-old victim of a double homicide in the Rural Municipality of Victoria Beach is seeking answers and justice following what RCMP believe were targeted slayings last month.

Glenn Thibert said the loss of his son, Sly Thibert, who was fatally shot at a guest house near Sandy Bay, about 100 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, is the worst pain he has ever felt.

“The hurt, the loss and the confusion — why Sly? It was a senseless killing,” he told the Free Press Wednesday. “Sly was the most harmless person there was. I hope (the shooter) gets caught.”

A 41-year-old woman was also fatally shot at the property on Hampton Road, near Lake Winnipeg.

Loved ones have identified her as Melissa Wilson, a mother of four and a grandmother who worked as a school bus driver and assistant caregiver.

Thibert and Wilson, who lived elsewhere in the RM of Victoria Beach, were friends, his father said.

RCMP have said officers from the Powerview detachment responded to a report about a possible shooting at the property at about 2 a.m. on June 20.

Police said a “person of interest” in a white pickup truck was seen driving at high speed southbound on Highway 59 shortly after the double homicide.

At the time, RCMP said they believed the slayings were targeted, and the risk to public safety was low, while they tried to reassure residents, cottagers and visitors.

No arrest had been announced as of Wednesday afternoon. Police have not provided a description of a suspect.

“Our officers are continuing to investigate and follow up on any leads, but at this time we have no updates for you,” an RCMP spokeswoman wrote in an email.

Investigators canvassed for possible witnesses and surveillance camera footage, and searched the area for potential evidence following the deaths.

Police said the property owner and a number of other people were interviewed.

Glenn Thibert said he learned about his son’s death when one of Sly’s friends, who discovered the victims’ bodies, phoned him at about 4:30 a.m. on June 20.

“Disbelief,” he said of the moment he found out, along with his older son. “She said, ‘He’s gone… somebody shot him.’ That’s when we lost it.”

Glenn Thibert said police have been “tight-lipped” during their conversations, leaving him with questions about what happened and why. He said he doesn’t know if Sly was the intended target.

“The hurt, the loss and the confusion — why Sly? It was a senseless killing.”–Glenn Thibert, victim’s father

He believes his son was inside the guest house when shots were fired. Glass on the front door was broken, and bullet holes were visible in an interior wall, he said.

Glenn Thibert said his son was not a violent person.

“Sly was a big guy, but he was a teddy bear,” the father said, while his family prepared to hold a funeral this week.

Sly Thibert and his older brother, who wasn’t home at the time of the shooting, moved into the rented guest house last year, their father said.

“My other son, he can’t even talk about it. They were so close. They were inseparable,” he said.

Sly Thibert spent much of his life in the Victoria Beach area, where he had worked for a commercial fishing outfit, as well as some time in Winnipeg, his father said.

Wilson was an adventurous, outgoing and kind person who enjoyed outdoor activities, including foraging, sailing, fishing and camping, said a GoFundMe page set up to help cover funeral expenses and support her children.

“(On June 20) our world crumbled when our dear Melissa was suddenly taken from us,” the page said. “Her children, grandchildren and other family members are now left to pick up the pieces.”

RCMP asked anyone with information about the double slaying to call the Powerview detachment at 204-367-8728, or to provide an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers via its toll-free line at 1-800-222-8477 or website.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca