August trial set for Rankin Inlet man charged with murder
Jack Ekwalak charged in death of Tracey Netser
Jack Ekwalak arrives at the Iqaluit courthouse for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 9. Ekwalak, charged with first-degree murder, will go on trial Aug. 4, 2026. (File photo by Daron Letts)
A man charged with first-degree murder will face a four-day jury trial in Rankin Inlet in August.
Jack Ekwalak was charged June 8, 2024, in Rankin Inlet, one day after RCMP discovered the body of a woman who was later identified as Tracey Netser.
Ekwalak, who was 43 at the time, surrendered to RCMP about seven hours after police issued a shelter-in-place warning for residents while officers searched for the suspect near the hamlet’s firing range.
The incident caused a stir in the community of nearly 3,000. A Facebook post afterward urged residents who felt the need to “debrief” to speak with mental health outreach workers, and a petition was organized calling for the Nunavut government to close the community’s beer and wine store.
Ekwalak did not take part in Monday’s court session. His lawyer, Alan Regel, appeared remotely through Zoom.
Ekwalak previously selected a trial by judge and jury in Rankin Inlet. It’s scheduled to take four days starting on Aug. 4.
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