This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-49076463

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
American and Australian tourists killed in Canada American and Australian tourists killed in Canada
(about 7 hours later)
Canadian police are investigating the murder of two young travellers who were killed in northern British Columbia. Canadian police are investigating the murder of two young travellers who were shot in northern British Columbia.
The RCMP says American Chynna Deese, 24, and Australian Lucas Fowler, 23, were found dead last week. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) says American Chynna Deese, 24, and Australian Lucas Fowler, 23, were found dead last week.
Fowler's father was a member of the New South Wales Police Force and two police officers are travelling to Canada to act as police liaisons. Fowler's father is a senior member of the New South Wales Police Force and has come to Canada with two colleagues.
Family say the couple were road tripping across Canada and camping in national parks along the way. Stephen Fowler described the murder of his son and his son's girlfriend as "a love story that ended tragically".
"I may be an experienced police officer but today I am standing here as the father of a murder victim," he told media at an RCMP news conference.
Two police officers from Australia have travelled to act as family liaisons during the RCMP investigation. Mr Fowler says they will not get involved in the case directly.
"I'm an experienced police officer and I know how these investigations can go," he said. "But I can tell you I am more than confident in all of the officers that are working on this case."
Family of both victims say they had planned on travelling across Canada.
"They were bright and beautiful souls. We are all still in shock and heartbroken," Kennedy Deese, Chynna's sister, wrote on Facebook."They were bright and beautiful souls. We are all still in shock and heartbroken," Kennedy Deese, Chynna's sister, wrote on Facebook.
Police have not released details of how the pair were murdered but the killer is believed to be at large. Their bodies were discovered last Monday morning, and police estimate they were killed sometime between Sunday and Monday. It took police about three days to identify the bodies. Their 1986 blue Chevrolet minivan was found near the bodies on the side of the Alaska Highway, near Laird Hot Springs, between Sunday and Monday. The springs are a popular tourist destination.
Their 1986 blue Chevrolet minivan was found near the bodies on the side of the Alaska Highway, near Laird Hot Springs. The springs are a popular tourist destination.
Eyewitnesses told media they saw the couple on the side of the road when their van broke down, but that they seemed to have it under control.Eyewitnesses told media they saw the couple on the side of the road when their van broke down, but that they seemed to have it under control.
Fowler had been working at a British Columbia ranch since February. Police have a composite sketch of a man who was seen speaking to Lucas along the highway and are asking for the public's assistance, they believe he was driving an older Jeep Cherokee with a racing stripe on the top of the roof.
"He wanted to get more experience with animals, learn about ranching in Canada in general, just to experience the West. That was one of his dreams," his boss Erika Weder told CBC. The young couple met at a hostel in Croatia in 2017, and had travelled the world together since then.
The pair met at a hostel in Croatia in 2017, and had travelled the world together since. "Our son Lucas was having the time of his life travelling the world. He met a beautiful young lady and they teamed up, they were a great pair and they fell in love," Mr Fowler said.
Second mystery
Police are considering the possibility their murder may be connected to the disappearance of two teenagers last Friday.
Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, are considered missing after their burnt-out camper van was found along the side of the road near Dease Lake on Friday, 500km (310 miles) away from where Fowler and Deese were found.
A third body was found burned not far from McLeod and Schmegelsky's van. It has not been identified but police do not believe it belongs to the missing young men.
Police are asking anyone with any information about either case is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.