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Troopers investigating ‘suspicious’ death of woman in Napakiak

Petra Harpak
/
KYUK

A woman has died under “suspicious circumstances” in the lower Kuskokwim River community of Napakiak, according to Alaska State Troopers.

According to a statewide dispatch, troopers were notified in the early morning hours of Dec. 22 that 27-year-old Napakiak resident Kari Nicholai had died unexpectedly. According to her social media profile, Nicholai was originally from the coastal community of Kongiganak.

Patrol troopers from Bethel and investigators with the Alaska Bureau of Investigations (ABI) responded to an undisclosed location in Napakiak, where they found Nicholai deceased and found evidence suggesting that the death was suspicious in nature.

Nicholai’s body has been sent to the state medical examiner’s office in Anchorage for autopsy and her next of kin have been notified.

A GoFundMe fundraiser has been launched to assist with Nicholai’s funeral expenses.

This is a developing story and may be updated with additional information.

Evan Erickson is a reporter at KYUK who has previously worked as a copy editor, audio engineer and freelance journalist.