Winnipeg police have charged a suspect in the brutal slayings of three street people.

John Paul Ostamas has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree murder, and one count of arson endangering life for his alleged involvement, police said Tuesday.

Ostamas, 39, will appear in court Wednesday.

Police found the body of Donald Collins, 65, near 329 Hargrave Street early Saturday morning, then found the body of 48-year-old Stony Stanley Bushie behind 333 Portage Avenue about 18 hours later. Police said both men, who had mental health and/or substance abuse issues, had been killed between 9 p.m. Friday and 1 a.m. Saturday.

"I think (Ostamas) was familiar with at least two of the victims, but I wouldn't say they were friends," Supt. Danny Smyth said of the weekend's victims.

Ostamas was charged with second-degree murder in the death of Miles Monias, 37, who had been beaten in a Main Street bus shelter on April 10 and later died in the hospital.

While speculation had been that a serial killer was targeting homeless people, Ostamas was part of the same community. Smyth said there was no apparent motive for the murders.

Police credited local businesses for providing surveillance videos of the areas where the two victims were slain on the weekend. Police would not say how they were killed but it is believed the suspect wielded a blunt instrument.

“My understanding is that the events that led up to (the weekend's homicides) is that there was a fire that was set in the shower room at the Winnipeg Hotel,” Smyth said. “We believe (Ostamas) may be connected with that.”

Ostamas was charged with domestic assault here in March. In his hometown of Thunder Bay, Ont., Ostamas has a lengthy record of violence dating back to 2002.

On Monday morning, police removed two BFI bins from behind the Siloam Mission.

“We were led to believe that there may be evidence in the dumpsters,” Smyth said.

Smyth said Ostamas has visited Winnipeg many times in the last 10 years and had accessed services at Siloam.

Police plan to check with other jurisdictions where Ostamas had been known to travel to see if he had been involved in any unsolved crimes.

Ostamas has retained lawyer Greg Brodsky.

'We can't get Miles back': Monias family forgives

Now that Ron Monias finally knows more details about the death of his son, Miles, his family can start healing.

John Paul Ostamas was charged with second-degree murder for his alleged role in the killing of Miles Monias, 37, on April 10, police said Tuesday. Police said Monias was beaten and left for dead in a Main Street bus shelter near Pioneer Avenue and later died in the hospital.

"We had hoped to get closure and we're happy to know that he went by homicide and not by accident," Ron Monias said from Garden Hill First Nation on Tuesday. "Knowing allowed us to start healing."

But the family reacted emotionally when a police constable first broke the news to them.

"We took it very hard — myself, my wife and my daughter," Monias said. "But our initial thought was that our tradition is to forgive to start the healing process. So, we have no ill feelings towards anyone, including that man (Ostamas).

"If we have any ill feelings, we're not going to heal. That way, we can have good closure and let justice take care of that man. We cannot dwell on this, we can't get Miles back. We have to move on."

But first, the Monias family will come to Winnipeg on Wednesday.

"We want to finish a lot of things that we traditionally do," Monias said. "One is to visit the bus shelter where he was found and pay a visit to the hospital where he died, and leave some tobacco."

Miles Monias was buried in Garden Hill on April 17. He leaves behind four daughters, aged nine to 18, who live with their mother in Winnipeg.

"They were separated but were still good friends," Ron Monias said.

Van can help vulnerable: Shelter

The Main Street Project is hoping the latest focus on the plight of the homeless will help them get their van back on the road.

The shelter lost its funding for the van when the Housing First project started recently.

"We are a 24-7 agency, our priority would be to provide this service to the general community, to those identified as being at risk, those sleeping in bus shelters, those that are panhandling," executive director Lisa Goss said Tuesday.

Main Street Project needs $400,000 to pay staff to operate the van 24-7, Goss said.

Had the van been in the area, it may have prevented two street people from being murdered on the weekend.

"It would be a great way to diminish something like this from happening again," said Siloam Mission director of operations Dan Maxson.

The shelters were all breathing a sigh of relief because a suspect had been arrested and charged.

"For a vulnerable community, we spend time talking about risk all the time," Goss said. "So, when there is something like that comes out, that makes us highly aware that there's added risk ... When that comes to a close, there's less of that tightening sense."

Supt. Danny Smyth praised the shelters for their roles in cautioning the homeless.

"But I think it's an opportunity now for the city, the (police) service and other social agencies to bring to the forefront homelessness and some of the challenges that people on the streets have to face," he said.

Company donating panic alarms to homeless community

A business is donating 100 personal safety alarms to Winnipeg's homeless community.

National Industrial Communications says it will offer the alarms to the Main Street Project, Salvation Army Booth Centre and Siloam Mission to pass on to at-risk people.

The pull of a pin on the device activates a flashing strobe light and 130 decibel sound that can be heard up to 500 metres away, according to National Industrial. The company said it hopes the alarm will deter attackers.