Kodiak Man Dies from Stab Wound, Investigation Continues

59-year-old Dennis Fathke succumbed to stabbing injuries in Kodiak on Sunday. Image-Deadliest Catch fan page.
59-year-old Dennis Fathke succumbed to stabbing injuries in Kodiak on Sunday. Image-Deadliest Catch fan page.

A man arrested on manslaughter and Assault I charges Tuesday said that the death of 59-year-old Kodiak resident, Dennis Fathke was a case of knife play gone horribly wrong.

Kodiak police responded to a 911 call  made by 44-year-old Teila Tofelogo after Tofelogo stabbed Fathke to death on Sunday afternoon. The two men were displaying ninja moves with a large 12 inch blade early Sunday afternoon when he accidentally stabbed Fathke he told police. The officer with the police department stated in his report that ” “Tofelogo described to officers how he had his back to Fathke and when he spun around with the knife, not realizing Fathke had stood up, he stabbed him in the upper left arm.”

But, the wound was much more serious than that, the blade went through Fathke’s arm and into his chest puncturing his lung according to police.

Tofelogo removed the blade from Fathke and phoned the police Tofelogo said.

Police responded to the scene on Ole Johnson Avenue to find Fathke unresponsive and not breathing. CPR was performed by police as well as EMTs before Fathke was taken to the Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center, but Fathke was pronounced deceased in the hospital’s emergency room.

Fathke appeared for a season on the popular series Deadliest Catch aboard the F/V Arctic Dawn.

The investigation into the incident is continuing.