Nunam Iqua man charged with murder in death of woman during snowmachine trip

A 25-year-old Nunam Iqua man was arrested this week on charges including second-degree murder in the death of a woman also from the Southwest Alaska village on the Yukon River.

Joan Camille, 30, died while traveling between villages last weekend with Fredrick Abraham, identified in an affidavit filed with charges as her live-in boyfriend, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday at the Bethel courthouse.

Abraham was arrested Tuesday and brought to an Anchorage hospital for treatment of frostbitten toes, according to the affidavit written by Alaska state trooper Timothy Powell. Abraham was in custody at the Anchorage Correctional Center as of Thursday morning.

Abraham told troopers he and Camille traveled to Emmonak by snowmachine to go shopping on Friday and drank alcohol before heading back that night, the affidavit said. He returned to Camille’s family’s house early Saturday on foot and told family members she had died, according to the affidavit.

Abraham initially said Camille was injured when she fell from the snowmachine and he eventually walked back to the village after the snowmachine got stuck, the affidavit said.

An autopsy determined Camille had extensive injuries that were not consistent with falling from a snowmachine, according to the affidavit. During another interview with troopers, Abraham said he was mad at Camille and “he didn’t know ‘that was going to happen,’” Powell wrote.

Abraham was charged with second-degree murder, negligent homicide and first- and third-degree assault. He was scheduled to appear in court Thursday afternoon.