Yukon man pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of 87-year-old

Warning: This story contains graphic details

Alfred Thomas Chiefhas pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2016 death of 87-year-old Olson Wolftail in Watson Lake.

Chief, 33, admittedto beating Wolftailwith a liquor bottle, but said he doesn't remember doing it.

Chief was initially chargedwithmurder but pleaded guilty tomanslaughter in February.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Chief, Wolftailand Chief's motherMinnie Charlie were drinking and were "highly intoxicated"onDec. 22, 2016.

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Chief's sentencing date has been set for June 28.

Police alerted

At the time, Chief was bound by a bail condition requiring him to "abide by a curfew at his residence in Whitehorse."

The statement said that after midnight on Dec.23,Charlie went to her brother's home across the streetand told her nephew that "Alfred is beating on Olsen."

She called 911 and toldthedispatcher,"Alfred took him and hurt him all over the place," and "Alfred Junior is hurting Olsen in the head."

Police arrived at the home about 10minutes later, and found Wolftaildead, lying on his back in a storage room.

An analysis of blood and tissue spatter patterns found Wolftail had been struck multiple timesin roughlythe position police discovered him in.

According to the statement of facts, Chief was found on a pull-out couch in the living room,either asleep or unconscious, withbottles on the floor. He was dressed and was covered with what appeared to be blood on his nose, hands, shoes, shirt and jeans.

No memory of incident

The statement said that Chief was "combative" while being arrestedand didn't appear to understand why it was taking place. Chiefwas put in a restraint chair at the police detachment after "punching walls and banging his head on the floor."

At the home, police found a bottle of Canadian Club Whisky, covered in blood and spattered with tissue. According to the statement,smudge marks on the bottle didn't yield fingerprints suitablefor analysis.

It also said Wolftail died from blunt force trauma, without any contributing natural causes.

A pathologist who examined Wolftail found extensive fractures, bruising andlacerations.

DNA analysis confirmed stains on Chief's clothing and on the bottle contained DNA consistent with Wolftail's. It said that the possibility of the DNA matching to any other person was "extremely low."

"Chief has no memory of the facts outlined, but does not contest that he unlawfully caused the injuries that resulted in Wolftail's death," said the document.

A conviction of manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

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