Mackenzie Lee Trottier’s body found at Saskatoon landfill after months of searching

Saskatoon police say they have found Mackenzie Lee Trottier's remains at the Saskatoon landfill after months of searching.

Trottier, then 22, went missing in December 2020. The search for her body at the landfill began on May 1 and extended well beyond the initial 33-day timeframe.

Police Chief Cameron McBride said at a news conference Tuesday that searchers recovered partial remains on July 30 and then made the full recovery on Aug. 1.

He said an autopsy was performed and the cause of death is still undetermined, but the coroner will continue investigating.

"For 93 days police and purpose-trained dogs methodically searched a calculated area of the landfill, for evidence relevant to the Mackenzie Lee Trottier missing person investigation," McBride said.

WATCH | Police recover missing woman's remains from Saskatoon landfill:

Police recover missing woman’s remains from Saskatoon landfill

2 hours ago

Duration 5:11

On Tuesday, the Saskatoon Police Service announced that human remains were found at the Saskatoon landfill and confirmed through dental records to be that of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who was last seen in December 2020.

Trottier's father Paul thanked all of the people and organizations who worked tirelessly during the search.

"Today, we have the answers we were searching for," he said. "You are forever etched in our hearts.… Mackenzie is home."

Police say the person suspected in Trottier's death is now also dead. They did not reveal the suspect's identity, but said he was a male.

They said the suspect died in an unrelated incident before evidence against him could be obtained. No other suspects are being considered.

A search of the suspect's phone after his death led police to believe Trottier's remains were at the landfill. GPS data from garbage trucks was then used to determine what area of the landfill to search.

When the landfill search began, Trottier's father Paul said that while it was about his daughter, it was also about all missing people.

"That's what I want people to remember," he said. "This is a family, this is a human being. All missing people, no matter what their past is, they're human beings, and they deserve our attention."

Police have said their investigation indicated her remains could be at the landfill, and officers were able to determine which garbage trucks to track. Police were then able to access those trucks' GPS tracking co-ordinates from the city.

Investigators identified an area that is 930 cubic metres, and police and purpose-trained dogs have been methodically searching the material from that area.

WATCH | Mackenzie Trottier's father speaks about the long, trying and tiring journey his family is on:

Paul Trottier speaks as police begin searching Saskatoon landfill in daughter's missing persons case

3 months ago

Duration 1:55

Police began their search of the Saskatoon landfill Wednesday, May 1 as part of their investigation into the 2020 disappearance of Mackenzie Lee Trottier. Her father, Paul Trottier, spoke to reporters about being "the last place anybody wants to be."