‘It’s a nightmare’: Manitoba murder victim’s family issues plea for information in hopes of solving case

A billboard appealing for information in the November 2024 murder of Steven Seela is pictured in Thompson, Man., in April 2026. (Manitoba RCMP)

The sister of a Manitoba homicide victim hopes a new RCMP public awareness campaign will help to finally crack her brother’s unsolved murder a year-and-a-half later.

“He didn’t get enough time with his son Evi,” Kendra Seela said through tears in a video released by Manitoba RCMP.

“It’s a nightmare living like this every day.”

Her brother Steven Seela, 28, was found shot and killed in a home in a Thompson, Man., trailer park on Nov. 28, 2024.

Police say they believe he had been there for a number of days before he was found.

A year-and-a-half later, police put up billboards and posters around Thompson appealing to the public for more information on the killing. They bear photos of a smiling Steven and quotes from his family.

“The silence is killing us,” reads one from Steven’s mother, Denise Redhead.

RCMP also released a video detailing new information about Steven’s death and their subsequent investigation.

Days before Steven’s body was found, police say they received a 911 call alerting them to a shooting. However, the call dropped before more details were given.

Officers say they were able to identify the owner of the cell phone, leading them to a home in the trailer park on Pipe Road.

“We went to the house. We knocked. There was no answer, but just based on the severity of the call, we decided that we needed to get into that house,” said Const. Lori-Ann Fisher with the Thompson RCMP.

“So we did end up breaching doors and entering, but there was no one in there.”

RCMP believe that call and Steven’s murder are connected.

While investigators say the lead-up to his death is not clear, they have put together a timeline of Steven’s last known movements.

RCMP told CTV News the 28-year-old was picked up from a home on Princeton Drive on Nov. 24, 2024, at around 2:13 p.m.

He was then dropped off at the City Centre Mall, briefly went inside a grocery store before walking by himself to the trailer park on Pipe Road, arriving about 15 minutes after he was initially picked up.

“This is the same residence where we believe he was murdered and where he was left for a matter of four days before he was recovered,” said Cpl. Gennifer Furkalo with the Manitoba RCMP’s major crime services.

Police also released images of two trucks they say were in the area when the shooting happened on Pipe Road.

Anyone who has information about the vehicles is asked to contact police.

Investigators were in the community last week, canvassing homes and speaking with over 100 people.

Furkalo said homicide investigations like this one only become more complicated as more time goes by without an arrest or a major break.

“That urgency kind of starts to deplete, and it’s on the investigators and people with invested interest in that homicide investigation, like family and friends, community, to keep driving that forward and keep that momentum going.”

Kendra hopes the renewed push for information will finally lead to answers as to what happened to her brother all those months ago.

“How would you feel if it was your sibling or it was your son or your uncle who was murdered brutally?” Kendra said.

Anyone with information is asked to call an RCMP tip line at 1-431-489-8106.