Man accused of fatally stabbing his brother in Scammon Bay, charges show

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - A Scammon Bay man is accused of fatally stabbing his brother during an argument in the Western Alaska community, according to Alaska State Troopers and charging documents in the case.

Troopers got a report around 2 p.m. Thursday that a man had been stabbed in Scammon Bay, a community in the Kusilvak Census Area. Troopers wrote in an online report that the man, 35-year-old Cedric Yunak, was taken to a clinic to be treated. Yunak had arrived to the Scammon Bay Clinic with a stab wound to his chest, charging documents state, and by about 2:40 p.m., he was pronounced dead.

Troopers traveled to Scammon Bay from St. Mary’s and Hooper Bay. Their initial investigation determined that Yunak’s brother, 37-year-old Max Yunak, was the one who stabbed him, troopers said.

Max Yunak was arrested on murder charges. His brother’s remains were taken to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy, troopers said, and their family has been notified.

“Investigation found that the defendant and his brother argued and physically fought almost daily,” according to the charging documents, which present details based on a review of an affidavit written by a trooper.

According to the charging documents in the case, Max Yunak is charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. He was arraigned in Bethel Court on Friday afternoon, according to online court records.

Cedric Yunak’s girlfriend told investigators that she left the Scammon Bay home shortly before the alleged stabbing, according to the charging documents, stating that Max Yunak would “regularly” say that he should kill Cedric, and that Cedric was not fearful of his brother.

According to the documents, Max Yunak told investigators that his brother had severely beaten him about a month ago, including breaking two ribs. After that, he kept two knives in his bedroom, he told them.

Max Yunak told investigators that on Thursday he had “exclaimed loudly” that he should kill his brother, as Cedric Yunak was following his girlfriend out of the home. According to the charging documents, Max Yunak reported his brother returning to the house and saying he should “do it,” before he began beating Max.

That’s when, according to the documents, Max Yunak told investigators he stabbed his brother once in the chest area with the larger of the two knives. When troopers contacted Max Yunak at the home later on, he was taken to the Scammon Bay Jail without incident.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated with additional information.

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