A man from Portage la Prairie, wanted for the murder of his wife and two young children, has a history of domestic violence, according to a former partner.
Travis McLeod showed violent tendencies at the beginning of their relationship, the woman said.
“He is just very violent. He does not hesitate. He doesn’t care who’s around – he’ll scream, he’ll scream, he’ll hit you. He will say terrible, terrible things… He is just a very, very evil man. ,” she said.
McLeod is now wanted on three counts of second-degree murder and arson after the bodies of his 32-year-old wife and two children – a six-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy – were found at a Portage la Prairie home last Sunday. reacted to the fire.
Shortly after the fire, McLeod was arrested and charged with assaulting another family member, but was released. At the time, the RCMP did not have enough evidence to keep McLeod in custody in connection with the killings and fire.
Police are currently searching for McLeod and say he was spotted in Winnipeg recently on Tuesday.
McLeod’s ex-partner told the CBC she had a protection order against him, her and one of her children.
She no longer lives in Manitoba. The CBC did not name the woman because she was a victim of domestic violence.
The two met at Portage la Prairie when they were 17 years old. At the time, McLeod was living with his family in Oakbank, Man., A short drive from Portage la Prairie.
She told the CBC that McLeod had outbreaks of violence that were often caused by alcohol.
“[It] it was almost like he was allergic … When he drank alcohol, he saw his true side, “she said.
“Everyone will be afraid of him, even his own family… His father, his mother, everyone will be afraid of Travis once he starts drinking.”
I felt like a punching bag
Shortly after they began dating, the couple had their first child. They lived with the McLeod family at the time.
“He hit me, shouted at me in front of family members. No one would ever stand up for me,” she said.
“It made me feel terrible, like I was erased. Like I was nobody. Like I was their puppet. Like I was a punching bag.”
Eventually, the couple moved to Alberta, where McLeod began getting more work as an independent drywall.
At that moment, the violence also intensified.
“He would ruin the whole house, he would break things, the whole mess he would leave behind would be a constant reminder that he was here and that it could happen again.”
In a particularly violent incident, McLeod smashed the back door and chased her with a knife, the woman said. Her two sons were there. The older one had to barricade the door to protect the younger child as well.
Asked how many times she thought McLeod had attacked her, she said “a lot”.
“He beats me very badly and we ended up going in and out of women’s shelters. And then I would go back because I had nothing, “she said.
“He can get out of a wet paper bag. He has this kind of narcissistic personality in which, you know, he sounds very believable and very loving, and then in the next minute … he will turn against you.
She is speaking now because deaths at Portage la Prairie could have been prevented, she said.
“Someone has to talk about these two children [his wife]and I’m ready to do that, “she said.
“My heart aches … for these little ones.”
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