Following a lengthy RCMP investigation, two murder charges have been laid against a Fort McMurray man in connection to the homicides of two Red Deerians in 2008.

On Tuesday, RCMP announced that Morris William Phillips, 47, of Fort McMurray, has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder into the deaths of Thomas Joseph Shaughnessy, 46, of Red Deer and Thomas Robert Howells Jr., 40, of the Wetaskiwin/Red Deer area.

He is also facing two charges of committing an indignity to the human remains of both deceased. He is also facing an additional charge of arson to his own property.

Phillips has been remanded in custody. His next court appearance will be in Red Deer provincial court on Oct. 25.

RCMP said the arson charge is in relation to an incident on April 27, 2008 when it was alleged that Phillips did intentionally cause damage by fire to his own house in the County of Lacombe at that time.

Police said the results of the investigation are now part of the court proceedings and no further comment will be made at this time.

On May 30, 2008 Fort Saskatchewan RCMP received at call around 2 p.m. reporting the discovery of human remains in a wooded area near the Skaro Shrine, near the intersection of Highways 45 and 831.

A property owner made the discovery while working farm land adjacent to this wooded area.

The initial examination of the scene suggested the two bodies may have been at this location for an undetermined period of time.

The remains were transported to the Medical Examiner’s Officer in Edmonton for post mortem examination.

Autopsies were completed on both deceased persons and it was determined that both men were victims of homicide.

Bachusky