They were loving daughters, mothers and friends whose ambition and potential were snuffed out by a 含羞草研究社渕onster.含羞草研究社�

Serial killer Jeremy Skibicki was sentenced Wednesday to four concurrent life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years in the 2022 slayings of four Indigenous women in Winnipeg.

Court of King含羞草研究社檚 Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal told a sentencing hearing he was bound by law to impose the automatic sentence after convicting Skibicki, 37, last month of four counts of first-degree murder.

Relatives and supporters of Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, Rebecca Contois and an unidentified woman Indigenous community members have named Mashkode Bizhiki含羞草研究社檌kwe, or Buffalo Woman, packed the courtroom as multiple victim impact statements were read.

Some wore sweatshirts bearing the smiling faces of Myran and Contois. A large painted portrait of Myran with a red handprint across her mouth was on display.

Elle Harris told court she can含羞草研究社檛 condense the loss of her mother into words on a piece of paper.

含羞草研究社淒o you know how many times I had to listen to how my mother was murdered, in horrific detail?含羞草研究社� the daughter of Morgan Harris asked.

含羞草研究社淚 am left with my confusion and my anger. I am left without closure. I am left with trauma 含羞草研究社� I am left feeling numb and hurt. And, finally, I am left without my mother to help me get through it all.含羞草研究社�

Skibicki showed no emotion during the roughly 3 1/2-hour hearing. He sat in the prisoner含羞草研究社檚 box flanked by sheriffs and stared straight ahead without acknowledging the family members who shared statements.

Cambria Harris, Morgan Harris含羞草研究社檚 eldest daughter, stood with her partner and looked directly at Skibicki as she spoke.

含羞草研究社淓very moment (Skibicki) spends in this courtroom breathing, free even in shackles, is another moment my mother is not,含羞草研究社� she said.

含羞草研究社淲hile (Skibicki) gets to stay there, surrounded and protected, my mother continues to lay in a landfill 含羞草研究社� the very place (Skibicki) put her.含羞草研究社�

Cambria Harris said her mother, who had five children, was robbed of the opportunity to spend time with her youngest child and granddaughter.

Court heard Morgan Harris was also loved by many who called the streets home, as the 39-year-old did at various points in her life.

Cambria Harris said her mother struggled with mental health issues, and Skibicki stole any chance she had of getting the help she deserved.

She ended her statement by swearing at Skibicki in a calm, raised voice, after which the gallery erupted into cheers and applause.

Grand Chief Cathy Merrick of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs told court the killings have left deep scars and will be felt for generations.

含羞草研究社淭he actions of this convicted murderer have underscored the need for justice and accountability,含羞草研究社� Merrick said, fighting back tears.

The trial heard Skibicki targeted the women at homeless shelters, then strangled or drowned them before disposing of their remains in garbage bins in the spring of 2022.

The killings came to light when a man looking for scrap metal found the partial remains of 24-year-old Contois in a dumpster in Skibicki含羞草研究社檚 neighbourhood. More of her remains were discovered at a city-run landfill.

Jeremy Contois read a statement on behalf of his sister Stephanie, as she stood by.

In it, she described the moment police arrived at her home to tell her they had found the body of her sister, leaving her in the most agonizing shock she含羞草研究社檚 ever felt.

含羞草研究社淚 can含羞草研究社檛 look at a garbage bin 含羞草研究社� it makes me sick to my stomach,含羞草研究社� she wrote.

During a police interrogation, Skibicki admitted to killing Rebecca Contois and the three other women.

Skibicki told police the killings were racially motivated and cited white supremacist beliefs.

At trial, a defence lawyer said Skibicki admitted to the killings but was too mentally ill to be held criminally responsible.

The judge said he agreed with a psychiatrist who testified for the Crown that Skibicki didn含羞草研究社檛 have a mental disorder that affected his ability to know the killings were morally wrong.

During the sentencing hearing, Joyal asked if Skibicki had anything to say.

含羞草研究社淣ope,含羞草研究社� he replied.

In 2022, police said they believed the remains of Harris and Myran were taken to another landfill outside the city but there would be no search. Police said too much time had passed and it would be too complex and dangerous.

There were countrywide protests demanding a search of the Prairie Green landfill. The federal and Manitoba governments recently committed a combined $40 million for a search, which is expected to start later this year.

Joyal acknowledged the 含羞草研究社減rofound grief含羞草研究社� each of the families have had to endure. He thanked them for their bravery and honesty.

The women含羞草研究社檚 families 含羞草研究社渄eserved more than what can be accomplished in a courtroom,含羞草研究社� he added.

Outside the courthouse, Myran含羞草研究社檚 sister said she appreciated Joyal含羞草研究社檚 words, but added the sentence will never be enough.

含羞草研究社淲hat (Skibicki) did to those women, he deserves a lot more than what was put on him today,含羞草研究社� said Jorden Myran.

Her grandmother, Donna Bartlett, called Skibicki an 含羞草研究社渆vil monster.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淗e has hurt this family, tore it apart, ripped our souls to pieces. That含羞草研究社檚 going to be there forever.含羞草研究社�

The federal government has a support line for those affected by the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls: 1-844-413-6649. The Hope for Wellness Helpline, with support in Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut, is also available to all Indigenous people in Canada: 1-855-242-3310.