Family members of a woman who was found dead in a Bethel home on the evening of July 6 have identified her as 20-year-old Ariel Naneng of Hooper Bay.
“She was very energetic, and always had the will to help her peers,” wrote Naneng’s cousin, Amber Carl, by text message on July 11. “She was a state 1A girls [basketball] champion with her team a few years ago. She did sports in high school, basketball and wrestling being her favorite. She had the best bond with all her siblings and nieces and nephews. She had strong faith and believed in God.”
The Bethel Police Department is investigating the death as a homicide. On July 7, the state charged Naneng’s former boyfriend, 24-year-old Edward Atcherian, with second-degree murder.
Atcherian was arrested, just hours after the discovery of Naneng’s body, at a different residence in Bethel than where she was found. According to charging documents, police pinged Atcherian’s cell phone to determine his location and were able to arrest him without incident.
Atcherian is currently being held at the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center and his bail has been set at $500,000. A preliminary hearing in Atcherian’s case is set for July 17 in Bethel court.
Naneng’s family is requesting donations to assist with airfare and funeral expenses. For more information, contact Kathleen Naneng by texting 907-545-1369 or emailing kathleen_naneng@lksd.org.
