Natasha Montgomery’s body may still be missing but RCMP say investigative findings have resulted in a murder charge.
The RCMP announced Monday afternoon a series of homicide charges have been laid in connection with one investigation dating back to 2009 and two investigations from 2010.
Three counts of first degree murder have been laid against 21-year-old Cody Alan Legebokoff from Prince George in connection with the deaths of 23-year-old Montgomery, 35-year-old Jill Stacey Stuchenko and 35-year-old Cynthia Frances Maas.
Legebokoff was arrested this past Friday at the Prince George Regional Correctional Center where he is currently awaiting trial in the November 2010 homicide of 15-year-old Loren Donn Leslie from Fraser Lake.
RCMP say these charges are the result of a 10-month coordinated investigation called Project E-Prelude, a joint investigation led by investigators from the North District Major Crime unit and the Prince George RCMP Detachment Serious Crime Unit.
It also involved extensive resources from around the province including investigators and support staff from the E Division Serious Crime Unit, Behavioral Science Group, the E Division Interview Team, Criminal Analysts and a number of specialized RCMP Forensic Laboratories throughout the country. Investigators also took the unusual step of utilizing a Forensic Specialist from the United States to examine specific aspects of the available evidence.
A mother Montgomery was originally from Quesnel but had been living in the Prince George area. When she failed to connect with her family after a number of weeks, they contacted the RCMP to report her missing. She was reported missing the same day as Cynthia Maas. While her body has not been recovered, investigative findings have resulted in a murder charge in relation to her disappearance.
A mother also, Stuchenko was from Prince George. She was also a talented singer. She was reported missing Oct. 22, 2009. At the time, the Prince George RCMP conducted a missing persons investigation and sought the assistance of the media and the public to help find her. Sadly, her body was found Oct. 26, 2009 in a gravel pit off Otway Road in the outskirts of Prince George, BC.
Cynthia Maas was also a mother. She was reported missing by her friends Sept. 23, 2010. Her family was also concerned because they had not heard from her over the course of several weeks. Despite numerous proactive policing initiatives on the part of the Prince George Detachment and North District Major Crime Unit, such as street checks, contact with various organizations and businesses and other search efforts, Cynthia was not found until Oct. 9, 2010, when her body was discovered in LC Gunn Park, also in a remote area of Prince George.
