A young man with a long history of violence is being held in connection with the murder of Sydney Bullfrog, 55, in Whapmagoostui shortly after midnight on April 30.
Joseph Napartuk, 29, was arrested without a struggle in his house and charged with involuntary homicide. The charge may be raised to second- or first-degree murder by the time the police investigation is over, said Sûreté du Québec agent Ronald Mclnnis of the Rouyn-Noranda detachment, which is assisting Kativik Regional Police in the case.
An alcohol-fueled argument between Napartuk and Bullfrog turned into a fistfight in the middle of the street, Mclnnis said. Napartuk, a smallish man of about 130 lbs, beat the much larger Bullfrog, weighing close to 400 lbs, with his fists, according to police. The attack continued as Bullfrog fell to the ground, with Napartuk using his feet to kick the fallen man, Mclnnis said.
A witness saw the incident. Napartuk was arrested the next day at 5:20 p.m. and is being held in the Amos detention centre. Bullfrog’s body was transported to Montreal for an autopsy, which won’t be completed for a few weeks.
Mclnnis described Napartuk as “a very violent person who likes to fight.” Previously,he had been arrested for arson, theft, car theft, assault, use of a weapon in a crime anddrunken driving, the SQ officer said. In one incident, Napartuk was “lucky” to haveemerged alive after he fired a weapon at a SWAT team, which was called in from Montrealwhen he barricaded himself in a house, Mclnnis said.
