A man from Steinbach has been identified as the victim of a homicide in Portage la Prairie. RCMP say 27-year-old Gerhard (George) Reimer-Wiebe was from Steinbach but had been living in Winnipeg.

On June 24th, Portage RCMP responded to the report of human remains that were found near Baker Avenue within the city. The identity of the remains was unknown at the time and Portage RCMP along with Major Crime Services, Forensic Identification Services and the Chief Medical Examiner's Office continued to investigate.

On July 10th, Portage RCMP put out a public request for assistance in identifying the human remains. By then, police had ruled the death as being the result of a homicide. An autopsy was conducted and police said the victim was a male, between the age of 20 and 40, with brown hair - possibly medium length. Investigators believe the victim had scoliosis of the spine, and would have been somewhere between 5'7" and 6'2" in height. Police stated that they believe the victim's body was placed near Baker Street in Portage la Prairie on June 20, sometime between 3-5 am.

On July 15th, another plea for information as to the identity of the victim was made. As a direct result of this second plea, information was received that enabled investigators to confirm the identity of the victim.

Today, RCMP indicated the victim has been identified as Gerhard Reimer-Wiebe. Gerhard, who also goes by the name George, was known to frequent homeless shelters within Winnipeg.

RCMP say they are releasing photos of the deceased in the hopes that someone recognizes him and can provide important information on his activities between May 15 and June 20, 2020.

Anyone with information is asked to call 431-489-8551.