Police have charged a man with murder in the death of John Wifladt and attempted murder after another man was seriously injured during an incident at a Yellowknife apartment building last December.
Charges against Denecho Noel King were announced by police on Friday. King, 22, will remain in custody until his first court appearance.
Wifladt, who was 39, died as a result of injuries he sustained at the Sunridge Place apartments in the early hours of December 14. Wifladt’s friend, Colin Digness, survived but with serious injuries.
Within a week, police announced that they were treating Wifladt’s death as a homicide. As RCMP continued to investigate, the possibility of a third party wasn’t ruled out.
Read: ‘No Sword Fight’ Between Friends On Night Yellowknife Man Died
Following the incident, John Wifladt’s brother – Tommy – suggested some form of sword fight may have taken place.
Digness, 41, told the Yellowknifer newspaper that did not happen, but admitted two swords he kept in his apartment are missing. He did not know who took them.
At the time, he believed an attacker burst through his apartment door while the two men were inside, hitting Digness on the head before attacking Wifladt.
But he emphasized that his recollection of the incident was dim at best because the two had been drinking.
King known to police
This isn’t the first time King has been in trouble with the law this year.
In early March, he was wanted on a warrant in connection with an assault and robbery on a Yellowknife taxi driver.
King was subsequently apprehended and brought before the courts along with two others.
With charges now being laid against King in Wifladt’s death, police hope family and friends can find some closure.
“It is our hope that this arrest can bring some measure of comfort to the victim, and the families of those affected by this terrible crime,” RCMP said in a statement.
“We are now at the beginning of the court process and will be seeing that through to conclusion in the months ahead.”
