Teen pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of Brandy Vittrekwa
Vittrekwa found dead on trail in Whitehorse 1 year ago
A teenage boy, charged in the death of Whitehorse teenager Brandy Vittrekwa, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
The teen entered the plea in Yukon court Thursday afternoon. He was charged in April.
- CBC Aboriginal | Missing and murdered: the case of Brandy Vittrekwa
Vittrekwa's body was found on the night of Dec. 8, 2014, on a walking trail in the McIntyre subdivision. Vittrekwa, 17, was living in Whitehorse with her family but was originally from Fort McPherson, N.W.T. She was a student at the Individual Learning Centre.
Her death shook the community. A memorial held in Whitehorse a week after her body was found drew hundreds of people.
The Kwanlin Dün First Nation was also prompted to initiate a number of measures to increase safety in the community. This week, the First Nation set up a phone service so people can anonymously report suspected crimes.
A sentencing date for Vittrekwa's killer will be fixed in the new year. Yukon Judge Mike Cozens said an assessment will be done of the teen, under Section 34 of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.