Manitoba

Men accused in Jeanenne Fontaine's death facing murder charges in Saskatchewan

The men charged in the shooting death of Jeanenne Fontaine are now facing separate murder charges in the death of Regina man.

Christopher Mathew Brass, Malcolm Mitchell now facing 1st-degree murder charges in Regina death

Jeanenne Fontaine, 29, was shot March 14 in the back of the head inside her home on the 400 block of Aberdeen, which was then set on fire. (CBC)

The men charged in the shooting death of Jeanenne Fontaine are now facing separate murder charges in the death of Regina man. 

Christopher Mathew Brass and Malcolm Mitchell are charged with first-degree murder in connection with the April death of 51-year-old Daniel Richard Dipaolo in Regina.

Johnathon Edward Kakewash, 31, has been charged with first-degree murder and is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant. (Regina Police Service)
A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for a third Winnipeg man, 31-year-old Johnathon Edward Kakewash, for first-degree murder.

Regina police were called to a home at about 5:40 a.m. on April 29 for reports of an injured male. Officers found Dipaolo dead. 

Police laid a first-degree murder charge against Edward Genaille, 51, but the investigation showed that there was more than one person involved in the murder, a news release said. Regina police began a joint investigation with homicide detectives in Winnipeg.

Brass and Mitchell were charged with the murder while in custody in Winnipeg following charges related to Fontaine's death, another Winnipeg shooting death and a series of unrelated violent offences.

Fontaine, 29, was shot March 14 in the back of the head inside her home on the 400 block of Aberdeen, which was then set on fire.

The men were charged in May in connection to the killing of Fontaine, who is the cousin of Tina Fontaine, the 15-year-old whose body was pulled from the Red River in 2014. Tina Fontaine's death became one of the country's most infamous murdered Indigenous women and girls cases.

Brass is charged with manslaughter in the case of Fontaine and second-degree murder in the case of Bryer Prysiazniuk-Settee.

Prysiazniuk-Settee, 24, was shot near Powers Street and Aberdeen Avenue on Feb. 8. He made his way to the 400 block of Aberdeen, close to Fontaine's house, where he collapsed, police said in May. A passerby found him and called 911.

Christopher Brass was the subject of two Canada-wide arrest warrants earlier this year with police releasing his photo but warning the public he was considered armed and dangerous. (Winnipeg Police Service)

Mitchell is charged with second-degree murder and arson–disregard for human life in relation to Jeanenne Fontaine's death.

A third man, Jason Michael Meilleur, 38, is also charged with manslaughter in relation to Fontaine's death. 

Police spokesperson Const. Jay Murray previously said the men have street gang associations but police did not believe the Winnipeg shootings were directed by a gang.

Brass was a known member of the Indian Posse and has a long criminal history. According to parole board documents, he was an unrepentant prisoner when he was behind bars. After serving a  6½-year sentence for a violent robbery spree and assaulting a prison guard in 2009, Brass said he would continue to commit crimes and collect welfare. 

Police are cited in the parole report from that time as saying Brass assaults people for sheer enjoyment and thinks robbery is the easiest way to make money.

Police are asking anyone with information about Kakewash to call the Regina Police Service at 306-777-6500 or Winnipeg Police Service at 204-986-6222.