B.C. artist's murder solved by cold case unit for Indigenous people in Washington State
Posted on: Dec 19, 2025 06:59 IST | Posted by: Cbc
A special building block constituted to work common cold cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people has resolved the murder of a B.C. Man in Washington State nearly a decade ago.
65-year-old George David, a master carver belonging to the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation of Vancouver Island, was found dead on March 28, 2016, while staying at a friend's apartment in Port Angeles. The community is located in Washington State, due south of Victoria, B.C., across the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
At the time, Port Angeles police identified Tina Marie Alcorn as a suspect but lacked enough evidence to charge her. But in 2024, the case was picked up by the newly-formed Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIWP) Cold Case Investigations Unit, established by the Washington State Legislature in 2023.
The MMIWP Cold Case team was formed in response to a task force that found systemic issues leading to a higher-than-average rate of missing and murdered Indigenous people across the state, and is run through the state Attorney General's office. It is one of several measures taken by the state, including creating an emergency alert system for missing Indigenous people.
Working with Port Angeles police, the new cold case team was able to secure new evidence leading to the arrest of Alcorn in June 2025, followed by her conviction after she pleaded guilty to David's murder on December 15.
She has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for second-degree murder as well as for being armed with a deadly weapon during the crime, according to Washington State's Office of the Attorney General.
It is the first conviction for the new unit, the office said.
The Attorney General's office also provided a statement from David's daughter, Maria David, reacting to the news.
"My dad was a master carver,” she said in the statement.
"I just have half-finished carvings, that never got to become puppets and tell their stories. Indian artwork is a way for us to tell our stories. And his stories can no longer be told, and we will never be able to see any of my dad’s artwork again. Silver engraving, masks, totem poles, rattles, prints. It’s all silent now. I am thankful to the Attorney General’s Office and the Cold Case Unit for their work."
The office says David's work is on display worldwide, including collections in Norway, Japan and Washington State.
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