The Alaska State Troopers received notification of a suspicious death early on Saturday morning in Metlakatla.

Troopers from Ketchikan and Klawock responded to the scene in Metlakatla.

The local police department requested that the troopers take over the case.

Search Warrants were obtained and served in the case and the investigation of the death of 67-year-old Metlakatla resident Leona Meely continued.

Troopers report that another person that lives at the residence, 29-year-old William Buxton, was developed as a suspect very early in the investigation. The trooper investigation revealed that an altercation had broken out at the home and Meely died as a result of that altercation.

Buxton was arrested and charged with Murder I and transported to the Ketchikan Correctional Center.

Meely’s remains were transported to the State Medical Examiner’s office in ANchorage for autopsy.

The investigation into Meely’s death is continuing.