Kotlik Man Arrested on Manslaughter/Murder II Charges for April Shooting Incident


Alaska State Troopers revealed on Tuesday that a Kotlik man who was involved in a fatal shooting in his home on the morning of April 15th has been arrested on an outstanding warrant for manslaughter and two counts of murder II and jailed at the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center with his bail set at $250,000 pending arraignment.

It was on April 15th that AST was notified at 8 am that 54-year-old Ralph Waska had fatally shot 49-year-old Yago Pitka in Waska’s home in Kotlik during an altercation.

Inclement weather delayed trooper response to the village until the next day. Once they arrived, troopers opened an investigation into the shooting. Troopers found that Waska and Pitka got into the fatal confrontation when Pitka was asked to leave the home and refused to. It was said that Pitka then attacked Waska and a fight unfolded. At that point Waska produced a firearm and fatally wounded Pitka and Pitka died at the scene.

On Tuesday, Bethel-based troopers served a warrant on Waska and remanded him pending an October 13th arraignment.