Husband, wanted on murder charges, shot himself: Police
Kevin Runke.
Camille and Kevin Runke.Photo by Facebook
Camille and Kevin Runke.Photo by Facebook
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Camille Runke reported 22 incidents of harassing conduct and property damage at the hands of her ex-husband Kevin in the months before he allegedly shot her to death, police confirmed Tuesday.
But without witnesses, police could not conclusively tie Kevin Runke to many of the incidents, Deputy Chief Danny Smyth said.
“There were instances where she returned to her vehicle to find property damaged, or ... she found nails strewn about parking places where she would have parked at work or at home but no one witnessed anyone doing any of those things,” Smyth said. “While it is reasonable to (assume) Kevin Runke may have been involved, there was no evidence for us to arrest him on many of those.”
Kevin Runke, 44, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after police attempted to pull his vehicle over in the St. Malo area late Monday afternoon.
Camille Runke, 49, was found dead from a gunshot wound three days earlier in the rear of a Marion Street business.
Court records show Camille Runke obtained a protection order against her ex-husband last July. Camille alleged Kevin Runke had stalked her at home, had damaged her car and had access to firearms.
“I fear for what he will do next,” she wrote in court documents.
Court records show Kevin Runke was the subject of two prior protection order applications involving two different women.
Police charged Kevin Runke with breaching Camille’s protection order Oct. 23 when he failed to report he had moved to St. Malo. That same day, police cautioned Runke about harassing Camille and forwarded a report to Manitoba Justice seeking a recommendation on possible charges.
“This is tragic,” Smyth said. “Camille Runke did everything she could to reasonably sever her relationship and protect herself from further harassment ... (Investigators) are sickened, they are upset that harm has come to Camille Runke. They did everything they reasonably could to help her.”
Court records show Kevin Runke was set to appear in court next week on a charge of mischief after allegedly damaging a water tap and other property at Camille’s home last July.
Runke was released on an undertaking following his arrest requiring he have no contact with Camille and stay 200 metres away from her home and workplace.
Protection orders are normally sufficient to discourage unwanted contact, particularly among targets who have no prior history of violence, Smyth said.
“In terms of the protection order we took reasonable steps to assist but we certainly didn’t have grounds to be following Kevin Runke around or arresting him,” Smyth said.
Smyth said police had identified Runke as a “person of interest” in Camille Runke’s killing when investigators spotted his vehicle in the St. Malo area Monday morning and tried to pull him over.
Runke swerved into a wooded area and came to a stop, Smyth said. Investigators, concerned for their safety, did not approach the vehicle and called in the Winnipeg Police Service tactical unit and the RCMP emergency response team for back-up. Runke was found dead in the vehicle hours later from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police did not have grounds to arrest Runke for murder before he shot himself, Smyth said.
“In light of the circumstances, Kevin Runke is the suspect in the murder of Camille Runke,” he said.
Kevin Runke’s death is being investigated by the province’s Independent Investigation Unit, while Camille Runke’s killing is continuing to be investigated by city police.
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