RCMP receive more than 250 tips in 48 hours after plea for help in Portage la Prairie homicide investigation

Police no longer need tips from the public to help them identify four people who may have information related to the homicide of a man whose remains were found in Portage la Prairie in June.

RCMP investigators believe the man's body was placed near Baker Street in the city, about 80 kilometres west of Winnipeg, on June 20, sometime between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. Police received more than 250 tips since Wednesday, when they released security camera images of four people seen travelling together in a dark-coloured SUV in the area around that time.

Major crime services investigators are now combing through the tips for information that will help solve the case, RCMP said in a news release.

"Over 250 tips in less than 48 hours is remarkable and speaks to the important role of the community and media in these difficult investigations," said Supt. Michael Koppang, the officer in charge of major crimes, in the news release.

"There's a lot of work ahead to get through all of the submitted tips but we are confident that some of the information provided will be of great assistance to our investigators."

The identity of the victim remains unknown. He had brown hair that was possibly medium-length, and an autopsy revealed he had scoliosis, or a curvature of the spine. He was between five feet, seven inchesand six feet, two inches tall.