A man from Chevak has been charged with murder in Bethel after police officers found a deceased woman in a residence during a welfare check on the evening of Sunday, July 6.
Bethel police said that they responded to a welfare check at around 8:00 p.m. on July 6 and found the deceased woman’s body. They said that she “appeared to be the victim of a homicide,” and began investigating the death as a homicide.
After about two hours, police said that they located and arrested 24-year-old Edward Atcherian at a different residence than where the woman’s body was found.
Atcherian has been charged with second-degree murder. He’s currently being held at the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center and his bail has been set at $500,000.
The woman’s body was sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office in Anchorage. She has not been publicly identified, and Bethel police said that they are waiting on a positive identification from the State Medical Examiner.
Bethel Public Safety Chief James Harris declined to comment further on the investigation.
A preliminary hearing in Atcherian’s case is set for July 17 in Bethel court.
This is a developing story and may be updated with additional information.
