It was announced on Thursday by the Alaska State Trooper dispatch that an arrest was made in the death of Trefim Wassillie, who perished in Lake Iliamna and was found by his mother face-down in the lake on September 16th, 2012.

It was back in September that Alaska State Troopers traveled to Lake Illiamna to investigate a drowning incident on the Lake. Very little information was released in the incident that took the life of the 25-year-old Kokhanok man at that time.

Troopers asked for information from the public, and the investigation continued.

On May 22nd, an Anchorage Grand Jury heard evidence from the Trooper investigation and indicted Brenda Nowatak for Murder in the Second Degree, Operator Failing to Render Assistance to an Injured Person after an Accident, Manslaughter, and Driving Under the Influence.

The trooper investigation revealed that back in September, Nowatak was driving a four-wheeler along the shoreline of Lake Illiamna near the community of Kokhanok when she struck a stump causing both to be ejected from the machine. Wassillie was ejected into the water.

Nowatak left the scene, leaving Wassillie to drown in the lake. Troopers believe that alcohol played a part in the incident.

On May 23rd, an Arrest Warrant was issued and Illiamna Alaska State Troopers arrested Nowatak and transported her to King Salmon where she is being held pending arraignment. Her bail was set at $10,000.