Man charged in fatal attack in Yellowknife pleads guilty to manslaughter

In a Yellowknife courtroom Monday, a 20-year-old man accused of murder pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Darren Nulliayuk was charged in July 2023, shortly after police found an unresponsive man in the parking lot of the Capital Suites on Franklin Ave. in Yellowknife.

He was initially charged with aggravated assault, assault and uttering threats.

Those were upgraded to murder charges when the victim, 35-year-old Adam Kakolak, died in hospital a week after the attack.

On Monday, the prosecutor accepted the guilty plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter. The difference between murder and manslaughter is intent. In pleading guilty to manslaughter, Nulliayuk is admitting he killed Kakolak but saying he did not intend to.

Though both sides have reached agreement on the charges, Nulliayuk's lawyer, Ryan Clements, said there is no agreement on what an appropriate sentence is.

That will be decided by the judge after the sentencing hearing, which is scheduled to take place over two days starting Jan. 7. The judge ordered a background report on Nulliayuk be prepared for the hearing.