BATTLEFORD — A man facing charges in the death of 55-year-old Nathan George Bekkattla, who was originally charged with second-degree murder, instead pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Nathan Billette appeared in the Court of King's Bench in Battleford on March 30. He was originally scheduled for a nine-day trial, but the trial didn't proceed since he entered a plea in the case.
According to the police report, Billette was charged after Dillon RCMP received a report of an injured person at a home on Buffalo River Dene Nation at about 6:40 a.m. on Sept. 13, 2023. Police say an altercation occurred between two men. EMS declared Bekkattla dead at the scene.
Greg Chovin represented the Crown in the case, and Christopher Koban the defence, with Justice Brenda Hildebrandt presiding.
Chovin presented the agreed statement of facts to the court.
At the time of the incident, police received a call that Bekkattla was injured at his residence near Dillon.
Bekkattla was found in the home with blood on his left leg, a wound on his chest and blood on his clothing.
Police took a statement from Walter Bekkattla, Nathan Bekkattla's brother.
In a statement, Walter said he was sleeping in the morning when his phone rang.
"George [Nathan George Bekkattla] was on the line and said Nathan stabbed me," said Chovin, reading Walter's statement. "Walter believed that the Nathan that George referred to is Nathan Billette."
When Walter went to check on Bekkattla, he saw a wound on the left side of his chest.
When Billette was arrested, police seized his cellphone.
Chovin noted some footwear impressions that were photographed at the scene were found to match the black high-top Converse shoes belonging to Billette that were seized by police.
The Crown prosecutor also referenced in the agreed statement of facts a Facebook Messenger discussion from Sept. 11 to 13, 2023, between Billette and Bekkattla.
"Court will ultimately see there was some dispute between Mr. Billette and Mr. Bekkattla on Sept. 13 [2023]," Chovin said.
Chovin said that Jamie Billette, the sister of Nathan Billette, received messages from Nathan Billette saying that he was in trouble on Sept. 13, 2023.
Chovin said Jamie Billette contacted Nathan Billette and asked him if he stabbed Georgie, to which Nathan Billette replied that he had "hurt Georgie and stabbed him or something," "because Georgie was talking sh*t and lying about him."
Sentencing in the case is scheduled for April 9 at 10 a.m.
