Yellowknife man admits to killing sleeping uncle in a drunken rage

A Yellowknife man has admitted to killing his uncle in a drunken rage in the mistaken belief his uncle had stolen his bottle of vodka.

Stanley Abel Jr. was originally charged with murder in the March 30 death of Herman Abel. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the N.W.T. Supreme Court on Monday. 

In an agreed statement of facts, Stanley Abel Jr., 30, said he had drunk so much that night he does not recall attacking his uncle, but accepts as truth what other witnesses said led to the death of Abel.

The witnesses, along with Herman Abel and Stanley Abel Jr., had gone out for dinner at the Gold Range the evening of March 29. Afterward they went to a house in Dettah and drank until the early morning hours, according to the agreed facts.

One of the witnesses said at one point during the drinking party, Stanley Abel Jr. drunkenly said, "I could kill all of you and you wouldn't even know it."

Herman Abel went to a bedroom with his girlfriend, where he fell asleep on the floor. Stanley Abel Jr. then became angry, thinking the couple had stolen his bottle of vodka.

He went into the bedroom and elbowed, kicked and stomped his sleeping uncle, according to the girlfriend and another witness. The girlfriend tried to stop him but could not.

Stanley Abel Jr. was arrested that afternoon. Ten hours later his uncle was pronounced dead.

No date has been set for sentencing.