Autopsy shows N.W.T. woman beaten to death

Preliminary autopsy results show N.W.T. homicide victim Alice Black, 31, died from "blunt force trauma," RCMP said Tuesday.

Black was found dead early Friday in the small Tlicho community of Gameti, 240 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife.

Black's common-in-law husband, Terry Vital, 34, has been charged with second-degree murder.

"The information we have received is that the deceased died as a result of blunt force trauma, specifically, numerous head injuries," said Sgt. Andy Ing.

Vital was walking down the road in the community when police arrested him Friday. He had been wanted by police since failing to appear in court nearly a year ago on charges in connection with two assaults on Black.

Police have been criticized for not doing more to find Vital earlier, but Ing said they did make an effort.

"I can say over the last 11 months numerous attempts were made to locate Mr. Vital with travel into the community," said Ing.

Gameti does not have its own RCMP detachment, but a corporal and a constable, based in Behchoko, are assigned to the community, he said.

Gameti chief Henry Gon said Vital had been living in the community for "quite a while."

"Every time the police comes around he's nowhere to be found and was hiding, maybe with some of the friends or the wife," said Gon.

The RCMP is conducting an internal investigation into how the case was handled.

Vital made his first court appearance in Yellowknife on Tuesday. He is scheduled to appear next on May 12.