Man charged in 2019 Cumberland Street death pleads guilty to manslaughter

THUNDER BAY — A Thunder Bay man initially charged with second-degree murder in connection with the 2019 death of 58-year-old Claude Justin Kishiqueb pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Thursday.

Nathaniel Austin Wesley was arrested in March 2019 following an incident that left Kishiqueb of Thunder Bay dead outside a North Cumberland Street business.

On Thursday, March 11, Wesley appeared in a virtual Thunder Bay courtroom where he entered a plea to a new charge filed against him by Crown counsel. No facts about the incident were read into the court record during Thursday's appearance.

A pre-sentence report with Gladue consideration has been filed for Wesley.

In a news release issued at the time, Thunder Bay police responded to a Cumberland Street address following reports of a male on the ground. According to police, the person who called 911 believed a baseball bat may have been used during the assault.

Police located two male victims. One victim, Kishiqueb, became unresponsive and was pronounced dead.

The second victim was transported to the hospital with injuries.

Wesley will appear in court next on May 6 where his remaining charges will be dealt with and to set a date.