Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet ( Mar 01/00) - A brutal stabbing death in Rankin Inlet this past Friday has left the hamlets of Rankin and Coral Harbour in shock and disbelief.

Dead is 40-year-old Rankin resident Pierre Evalouajuk.

His brother, Louie Evaloakjuk, is in custody and has been charged with first- degree murder in the case.

Evaloakjuk will make his first court appearance at the Iqaluit court house today, March 1.

The Rankin Inlet detachment of the RCMP received a complaint of a suspicious death at 5:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 25.

Police discovered Evalouajuk's body upon responding to the call at a multi-unit housing complex in Area Six of the hamlet.

Reports indicate Evalouajuk was found slumped over with his back against the wall on the lower level on his housing unit. He suffered a 10-centimetre gash across his throat, believed to be the cause of death.

A trail of blood was found leading down the hallway from the upper level of the unit, where it is believed the vicious attack took place.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police would neither confirm or deny if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the slaying.

Pierre Evalouajuk, formerly of Coral Harbour, had moved to Rankin Inlet to be employed by the Siniktarvik Hotel. He had received his certificate in food preparation at the hotel last summer.

Evalouajuk would have celebrated his 41st birthday two days after the tragedy on Sunday, Feb. 27.

The accused had moved to Rankin early in the new year from Coral Harbour.

The Iqaluit-based RCMP Nunavut General Investigation Section released a brief press release on Saturday, Feb. 26, stating an autopsy will be performed this week in Edmonton on Pierre Evalouajuk's body.

No further information will be released by police until after the autopsy has been concluded.

The investigation is ongoing, with members of the local RCMP detachment and a specialized team of investigators from Iqaluit and Yellowknife being involved.

Residents of Coral Harbour have been deeply saddened by the murder.

The hamlet's recreation director, Noel Kaludjak, says everyone is shocked and in disbelief over the murder.

He says Coral shut down on Friday after hearing the news and many hamlet residents have been phoning the local radio station to express their feelings over the tragedy.

Kaludjak says Pierre Evalouajuk was well-known in the community as being very quiet and kind, and was never known to be in any kind of trouble.

"He was regarded as a very good person and a good friend to many people here in Coral," says Kaludjak.

"This came as a huge shock to the whole community, why anybody would want to do something like this to such a nice person."

Pierre Evalouajuk is survived by his mother, Akatuq, four sisters, Jackie (widow of late Arviat mayor Ralph King), Atitaq, Eekomaq, Valerie and three brothers, John, Joseph and the accused.