RCMP blocked off a portion of Fourth Avenue at Ogilvie Street on Feb. 2 as officers investigated a suspicious death in the area. In the following days, police said Aaron Smarch, a 35-year-old Carcross man, was the one who died and that they are investigating his death as a homicide. On Feb. 6 they arrested 18-year-old Norman Kendi and charged him with first-degree murder. (Stephanie Waddell/Yukon News)

RCMP blocked off a portion of Fourth Avenue at Ogilvie Street on Feb. 2 as officers investigated a suspicious death in the area. In the following days, police said Aaron Smarch, a 35-year-old Carcross man, was the one who died and that they are investigating his death as a homicide. On Feb. 6 they arrested 18-year-old Norman Kendi and charged him with first-degree murder. (Stephanie Waddell/Yukon News)

18-year-old Whitehorse man charged with killing Aaron Smarch

Norman Kendi of Whitehorse was arrested Feb. 6 and charged with first-degree murder

The Yukon RCMP have made an arrest and filed a murder charge related to the Feb. 2 death of Aaron Smarch.

Norman Kendi, an 18-year-old Whitehorse man, was arrested on the evening of Feb. 6 and charged with first-degree murder in Smarch’s death. Police said Kendi was arrested without incident and made a court appearance on Feb. 7. He remains in custody.

Smarch, 35, was found laying on the ground near the corner of Fourth Avenue and Ogilvie Street at around 5:20 a.m. on Feb. 2. According to the RCMP, he was seriously injured and lifesaving efforts by emergency medical services did not succeed.

The RCMP said they executed two search warrants related to the investigation at unspecified locations in downtown Whitehorse on the same evening Kendi was arrested. The investigation is ongoing and police ask that anyone with information about the incident call them at 867-667-5551.

“The Yukon RCMP continues to share our condolences with the family and friends of Aaron Smarch, and would like to thank everyone who has assisted in this investigation,” a Feb. 7 statement from the RCMP reads.

(Jim Elliot)

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