B.C. artist's murder solved by cold case unit for Indigenous people in Washington State
CBC
A special unit established to solve cold cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people has solved the murder of a B.C. man in Washington State nearly a decade ago.
65-year-old George David, a master carver belonging to the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation of Vancouver Island, was found dead on March 28, 2016, while staying at a friend's apartment in Port Angeles.
The community is located in Washington state, due south of Victoria across the Juan de Fuca Strait.
At the time, Port Angeles police identified Tina Marie Alcorn as a suspect but lacked enough evidence to charge her. But in 2024, the case was picked up by the newly-formed Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIWP) Cold Case Investigations Unit, established by the Washington State Legislature in 2023.
The MMIWP Cold Case team was formed in response to a task force that found systemic issues leading to a higher-than-average rate of missing and murdered Indigenous people across the state, and is run through the state Attorney General's office. It is one of several measures taken by the state, including creating an emergency alert system for missing Indigenous people.
Working with Port Angeles police, the new cold case team was able to secure new evidence leading to the arrest of Alcorn in June 2025, followed by her conviction after she pleaded guilty to David's murder on December 15.
She has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for second-degree murder as well as for being armed with a deadly weapon during the crime, according to Washington State's Office of the Attorney General.
It is the first conviction for the new unit, the office said.
The Attorney General's office also provided a statement from David's daughter, Maria David, reacting to the news.
"My dad was a master carver,” she said in the statement.
"I just have half-finished carvings, that never got to become puppets and tell their stories. Indian artwork is a way for us to tell our stories. And his stories can no longer be told, and we will never be able to see any of my dad’s artwork again. Silver engraving, masks, totem poles, rattles, prints. It’s all silent now. I am thankful to the Attorney General’s Office and the Cold Case Unit for their work."
The office says David's work is on display worldwide, including collections in Norway, Japan and Washington State.
A few days after Michael Ma decided to cross the floor to the Liberals, Pierre Poilievre was asked whether the loss of another MP was a problem for his leadership of the Conservative Party.
Ontario released a new curriculum for kindergarten in the province on Thursday, but the shift away from “play-based” learning towards “academic rigor” is sparking concern from teachers and opposition.
Ekati Diamond Mine is getting a a $115 million loan from the Canadian government to continue operations at the mine and protect jobs, its owner announced Thursday.
Prime Minister Mark Carney reaffirmed he'll protect Canada's supply management system, as the United States signalled it's ready to fight over this country's dairy rules at the negotiating table.
It all started with a 14-year-old Indigenous boy who was sitting in jail last year, not because he couldn’t get bail, but because he had nowhere to go once released.
Several people dressed as Santa and a group of masked elves were filmed at a grocery store in Montreal on Monday night filling up carts with food.
Three of the biggest players in P.E.I.’s health-care system have reached an agreement that sets more flexible models for how many patients family doctors can and should handle.
A London man is facing charges after allegedly emailing death threats to London's city hall.
Prosecutors have withdrawn a second-degree murder charge against a man who spent 23 years in prison for the killing of a 10-year-old girl in 1989.
The Redwood Meadows fire station was badly damaged by a fire on Wednesday evening.
In a rare use of the provincial government's powers, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has dismissed the entire town council in Victoria, N.L., and appointed a temporary administrator to oversee the affairs of the Conception Bay North community of nearly 1,700 residents.
Police services across northern Ontario say most illicit drugs circulating in their communities are being transported from southern parts of the province, while prescription drugs diverted into the illegal market continue to pose a serious and ongoing threat.
The case of a child who was killed by his mother shortly after being returned from foster care has shed a rare and needed spotlight on the child welfare system, say experts in the field.