Missing man’s remains were found in burned car: RCMP

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/04/2023 (870 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba RCMP shed more light on an ongoing homicide investigation Wednesday, revealing the body of a 37-year-old Brandon man had been discovered in the trunk of a burned-out car last fall.

James Vernon Giesbrecht’s remains were found by police on the outskirts of Brandon in the rural municipality of Cornwallis in mid-October, but police only revealed this information publicly in January when they were finally able to identify the body.

An anthropologist at Brandon University and the office of the Chief Medical Officer helped with the identification process, police said.

Since then, Mounties have released snippets of information about the case along with appeals to the public for more info.

On March 28, RCMP Major Crimes asked the public for information on the whereabouts of a Honda Accord that had been stolen from Regina and last seen in the Brandon area in October, but they didn’t mention the car had already been found in October with Giesbrecht’s remains in the trunk. Those details were only released Wednesday, as RCMP said the car had been found just south of the intersection of Road 108 West and Road 51 North in Cornwallis.

A forensic exam of the vehicle was conducted with the help of the BU anthropologist, police added.

In Wednesday’s press release, RCMP also noted they found physical evidence that has been sent to a forensic laboratory for DNA testing, although they didn’t specify what the evidence was.

The Sun contacted RCMP Major Crimes on Wednesday for more information, including the causes behind Giesbrecht’s death and the car fire, but authorities said they weren’t prepared to release more details yet.

They did say, however, the suspect in the theft of the Honda Accord is not a suspect in the homicide.

Giesbrecht was reported missing from the Brandon area on Dec. 12, before Mounties identified the remains they found in the car. Brandon police issued a request for help finding Giesbrecht as he hadn’t been seen or in contact with his family since Oct. 16.

In the request, police also noted that Giesbrecht’s family believed he may have been living in a homeless encampment around Brandon.

A friend of Giesbrecht’s, Angie Sellars, previously told the Sun she hadn’t heard of him being homeless but did say she hadn’t been able to reach him before he was reported missing.

Sellars would get together with Giesbrecht usually once a month for a burger at Harvey’s or go to the mall and shop. She described Giesbrecht as “kind-natured” and “quiet.”

Giesbrecht hailed from northern Manitoba and was a father of three. According to Sellars, he kept in touch with his children and cared for his ailing grandmother when he lived up north.

Sellars said she was shocked to learn that Giesbrecht’s remains were found and his death was being investigated as a homicide.

“I never knew him to be involved in any drama, or any kind of bad situation with anyone,” she said in January. “There was nothing I heard about him having any beef with anybody. He just wasn’t like that.”

RCMP continue to seek information about the homicide and ask anyone with information to call the Major Crime Services tip line at 1-431-489-8110.

» gmortfield@brandonsun.com, with files from Ian Hitchen