Police have laid murder charges in the city’s fourth homicide of 2011.
Barney Beaver, 53, from Webequie First Nation, was taken to hospital Dec. 17 after an alleged assault at the Victoria Inn.
He passed away Dec. 24.
Kesley Lance Charles Jacob, 33, from Summer Beaver First Nation was originally charged with aggravated assault after the incident. That charge has now been upgraded to second degree murder.
Criminal Investigation Branch Staff Sgt. Don Lewis couldn’t say much about the case other than the fact that the two men knew each other and that alcohol was a factor.
“They were in the same room in the hotel so they weren’t strangers to one another,” Lewis said.
Although a post-mortem was done, Lewis couldn’t say what the cause of death was or speak to nature of Beaver’s injuries.
Lewis said the investigation is still ongoing. Jacob is in custody.
His next court date is Jan. 5.
