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‘No sword fight’ between friends on night Yellowknife man died

A man who survived a deadly incident at his Yellowknife home says a sword fight did not kill his friend.

Colin Digness, 41, has now returned to the Sunridge Place apartment where his friend John Wifladt died in December.

The death of 39-year-old Wifladt (pictured above) has not been explained and is being investigated as a homicide by RCMP.

Read: Yellowknife guitar tribute for John Wifladt

Digness has been receiving treatment for stab wounds received on the same night and can still barely open his left eye, which was damaged in the incident. He was released from Stanton Territorial Hospital earlier this month.

Following John Wifladt’s death, his brother – Tommy – suggested some form of sword fight may have taken place.

Digness says that did not happen, but admits two swords he kept in his apartment are missing. He does not know who took them.

“I don’t know if they were used as weapons that night. I just don’t remember. I do know that John and I did not get into a sword fight that night,” Digness told the Yellowknifer newspaper.

Digness says he and Wifladt had been friends since 1984 and had been drinking at the Black Knight and possibly the Gold Range on the night of the incident.

He believes an attacker burst through his apartment door while the two men were inside, hitting Digness on the head before attacking Wifladt. But he emphasizes his recall of the incident is dim at best.

Digness considers himself the lone witness to the attack and says RCMP have spoken to him.

“They never accused me of doing this or being a suspect,” he told the paper.

“But I am nervous that there is a killer out there. I don’t want anyone to get away with this.”

The police investigation into Wifladt’s death continues.

Ollie Williams
Ollie Williams
Hello! I'm the one with the British accent. Thanks for supporting CJCD. To contact me, you can email me, find me on Twitter or call (867) 920-4663.

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