Nunavut man facing second degree murder charge remains in custody

Daniel George Hodgson, 37, is charged with second degree murder in connection with the May 19 death of Bradley Winsor, 23, of Iqaluit. (FILE PHOTO)

An Iqaluit man who faces second-degree murder charges in relation to a May 19 suspicious death in the city’s satellite community of Apex appeared via video link June 6 at the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit.

Daniel Hodgson, 37, bald and with a goatee, stared sullenly into the camera set up at the Baffin Correctional Centre where he is currently in remand custody.

Lawyer Tamara Fairchild, appearing on behalf of Hodgson’s Toronto-based lawyer Shayne Kert, confirmed to Justice Earl Johnson that this was Hodgson’s first appearance before a judge as his first appearance took place before a Justice of the Peace.

The charges stem from a suspicious death police responded to in Apex May 19.

In an RCMP news release, police said they responded to a home around 5 a.m. that day and discovered a 23-year-old man unresponsive. They rushed him to the Qikiqtani General Hospital but he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Several hours later, police arrested Hodgson and then laid a charge of second degree murder.

The victim is identified in court documents as Bradley Winsor.

According to court documents, police obtained warrants to conduct two searches, on May 20 and May 25, but evidence presented in court to obtain those warrants, and anything seized during the searches, are sealed from public view.

As Hodgson sat awaiting instructions in court June 6, Fairchild and Crown Prosecutor Barry McLaren discussed how the Crown would disclose documents to the defence.

The court then put the matter over to July 18 at 9:30 a.m. Hodgson will remain at the BCC at least until that time.

“Do you understand what’s going on?” Johnson asked Hodgson. He nodded and said, “Yes.”