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Preliminary hearing to start for man charged in 2016 Watson Lake murder

Olson Wolftail, 87, was found dead in his home in December 2016
10486663_web1_170705-YKN-M-WH-courthouse
(Joel Krahn/Yukon News file)

A preliminary hearing is expected to get underway in Whitehorse this week for a Watson Lake man charged with first-degree murder in the 2016 death of 87-year-old Olson Wolftail.

Alfred Thomas Chief Jr. appeared briefly in front of Judge Michael Cozens Feb. 5. before his defence lawyer, Jennie Cunningham, and Crown attorney Amy Porteous agreed to adjourn the matter to Feb. 7.

Chief was arrested and charged in December 2016 after the RCMP, responding to a report of an assault, found Wolftail dead in his Watson Lake home shortly after midnight on Dec. 23, 2016.

Preliminary hearings are held to determine whether there’s enough evidence in a case to bring the matter to trial.

Contact Jackie Hong at jackie.hong@yukon-news.com