Man charged with second degree murder in Grande Prairie deaths

GRANDE PRAIRIE, A.B. — Grande Prairie RCMP has confirmed that a man is in custody, relating to the deaths of two women who were reported missing.

Amber Dawn Diebert’s body was found in a rural area northwest of Grande Prairie on Dec. 11.

RCMP confirmed that she and another woman who went missing, Jody Michelle Topilko, were acquaintances — it was also confirmed that she is also deceased. Topilko was last seen on Nov. 29, shopping with a family member and was reported to police as missing on December 8.

Investigators from the Grande Prairie RCMP Detachment and the RCMP Major Crimes Unit eventually arrested 28-year-old Mark Phillips.

Phillips is set to appear in Grande Prairie Provincial Court on Monday morning, on two counts of second degree murder.