'There is a killer out there'
Colin Digness says he's worried assailant may try to finish him off after bloody night in December that left friend dead
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Published Friday, February 13, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A man who survived horrendous injuries on a night in which his best friend was killed said he is fearful the person who beat and stabbed him will come back and finish the job.
Colin Digness, his left eye still swollen shut, talks about the night he survived a brutal attack in his apartment. His best friend John Wifladt died from injuries suffered in the same attack. Digness said he is worried the attacker could come back and finish the job. - John McFadden/NNSL photo |
Colin Digness, 41, spoke exclusively to Yellowknifer on Wednesday from his Sunridge Place apartment unit where he is recovering from his injuries.
It's the same apartment where he and his best friend, John Wifladt, were found unconscious early in the morning of Dec. 14 of last year. Wifladt, 39, of Yellowknife died from his injuries after the attack. Digness was medevaced to Edmonton.
RCMP is investigating Wifladt's death as a homicide. Digness said he has a "pretty bad feeling" knowing he is the sole witness to the crime.
Digness is back at home after being released from Stanton Territorial Hospital earlier this month and said he doesn't remember much about that night. He said he recalls drinking with Wifladt at the Black Knight and vaguely remembers being at the Gold Range.
Wifladt's brother, Tommy Widfladt, told Yellowknifer in December that he met the two men outside the Gold Range who invited him to a party in Ndilo but Digness said he doesn't recall that.
"I do remember going out downtown drinking and I do remember being back at my apartment later with John and someone busting through my door," said Digness.
"I was hit in the face with something heavy, near my eye. I think then that the person attacked John and then came back and stabbed me."
Digness then showed the long scar on his stomach where he received dozens of stitches.
Digness said he did have two swords in his apartment that night which have since been removed but he doesn't know whether the police or someone else took them.
Tommy Wifladt speculated shortly after his brother's death that there had been sword fight in the apartment after speaking to a nurse at the hospital. Yellowknifer attempted to reach him earlier this week but he was unavailable for comment.
"I don't know if they were used as weapons that night. I just don't remember," said Digness, adding he has no idea who attacked them nor what weapon the attacker used.
He didn't rule out the man may have used the two swords he owns in the attack, which he describes as toys. They were hanging on the wall in his living room.
"I don't think I knew the attacker," said Digness. "All I know is that he forced open my door."
He said he was told by staff at Stanton last month that he was stabbed three times and a bone near his eye was broken. Digness also received stitches around his left eye which is still swollen shut.
"I can see out of it, but it's blurry," said Digness. "The biggest side effect I have right now is bad headaches."
Digness said he is having trouble remembering details from that night due to the amount of alcohol he consumed, the head injury he suffered and the pain medication he's been taking since waking up in an Edmonton hospital.
Digness said he has no memory of the medevac flight to Edmonton. When he regained consciousness in the hospital there, he was still covered in blood. Digness said a week went by before hospital staff cleaned the blood off of him.
"I had no idea at that time that John had died," said Digness. "It wasn't until I got back to Stanton in January that I was told by nurses that John had died."
Digness said he was never interviewed by RCMP while he was in the hospital in Edmonton.
"They only spoke to me after I got back here in January," he said.
Digness said two male officers interviewed him while he was in his hospital bed at Stanton. They tape recorded the interview, he said.
"They didn't tell me much and I couldn't tell them much, the same as I've told you," said Digness. "All that police have been able to tell me is that they are working on the case.
"They never accused me of doing this or being a suspect. But I am nervous that there is a killer out there. I don't want anyone to get away with this."
Digness said he has no enemies and he has no idea who would've wanted to break into his apartment and attack him or Wifladt.
"There are crackheads down the hall, but I did not recognize the person who burst in as being one of them," he said.
His apartment was a mess when he returned to it, he said. "Everything was upside down and pushed against the wall."
He said he doesn't think robbery was the motive for the attack as the only things that he can determine are missing are his swords. His landlord repaired the door and he was given new keys when he returned to the apartment, he said. He pointed to the new unpainted door frame as evidence the door had been broken and since repaired.
Digness said he had not heard the rumours of a sword fight in his apartment.
"I hadn't heard about that but I do know that John and I did not get into a sword flight that night," said Digness.
"We had been best friends since 1984. I found myself at Stanton unable to sleep, just staring out the window. I was thinking of John, trying to remember what happened and worrying. It was a pretty bad feeling."
He said he had yet to speak to anyone in the Wifladt family.
Police have said little about the case, including whether a killer is free on the streets of Yellowknife. RCMP Const. Elenore Sturko said on Wednesday that police are "continuing their investigation" but said she had no further information on the case.
