Atmautluak man charged with manslaughter after shooting death ruled homicide

Alaska State Troopers arrested an Atmautluak man on manslaughter charges Wednesday after investigators determined a death reported as a suicide was actually a shooting by an intoxicated resident.

Troopers were called to Atmautluak around 4:05 p.m. on July 1 and found Byron Waska, 28, dead from a gunshot wound inside the residence of Levi Beaver, 36. The death had been reported as a suicide, but the scene appeared suspicious to responding troopers.

The Alaska Bureau of Investigation took over and determined that Beaver shot Waska while intoxicated. Troopers arrested Beaver the following day on charges of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and two counts of misconduct involving weapons. He is being held at Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center in Bethel.

Waska's body was sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office for further examination. His next of kin has been notified.

All charges are accusations. Beaver is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.