Man Charged with Five Counts of First-Degree Murder

Ryan Howard Manoakeesick is accused of killing his young family and a relative in rural Manitoba on Sunday Warning: This story contains distressing details.

A 29-year-old man accused of killing his wife, their three young children and a female relative on Sunday, February 11th. Ryan Howard Manoakeesick is charged with five counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his partner Amanda Clearwater, 30, Bethany Clearwater, 6, Jayven Clearwater, 4, Isabella Clearwater, 2 ½ months, and Amanda’s 17-year-old niece, Myah Gratton, Manitoba RCMP announced Monday.

Manoakeesick, who was living with his family in the town of Carman northwest of Winnipeg is reportedly a member of Garden Hill First Nation.

In 2019, a Manitoba court heard Manoakeesick had been in foster care since he was eight and has a history of addiction and mental health issues. He was previously convicted of smashing an electronic display at a Winnipeg Tim Horton’s while on methamphetamine, court records reveal.

Court heard the then-25-year-old struggled with mental health issues that included anxiety and depression. He was ordered to undergo addictions and mental health assessments and take part in any recommended treatment.

According to CBC, the judge told him he had to get help before “things spiral completely out of control.”

“If you don’t do something, eventually it’s going to cost you your family,” he said.

RCMP Insp. Arseneault said officers are still working on piecing together a timeline of exactly what happened on Sunday saying, “until we have a clearer picture of what occurred and when, we will not be able to provide any details.”

The RCMP did not provide a motive for the homicides that occurred in three crime scenes near Carman. They say they arrested Manoakeesick without incident after he pulled the bodies of his children out of a burning vehicle on Highway 248 near St. Eustache.

Earlier Sunday, RCMP said the body of Amanda Clearwater was located on the side of Highway 3 after an alleged hit-and-run collision. The body of Gratton was found in the home where all six lived together in Carman.

Premier Wab Kinew, who was elected as Canada’s first First Nations premier in October, also addressed the news conference.

“You heard the officer say that an entire family’s been lost,” said Kinew, who doesn’t usually attend police news conferences. “This is a dark time in Manitoba…

“There is no context, there is no explanation, that can make this OK. This is pure darkness. You think about a 2 ½ month old and it is impossible to imagine that there’s anything that could justify what took place.”

Cathy Merrick, the top First Nations leader in Manitoba, expressed sorrow over the deaths.

“It’s not our way as a people, it’s not our way in our culture and our language,” she told the news conference, “…violence is something that we have learned as a people.”

Support is available for anyone affected by these reports. You can talk to a mental health professional via Wellness Together Canada by calling 1-866-585-0445 or text WELLNESS to 686868 for youth or 741741 for adults. It is free and confidential.