Whitehorse drug dealer charged with manslaughter after a woman overdosed

Jared Skookum, a 32-year-old man from Whitehorse, Yukon has been charged with manslaughter as a result of an investigation into the death of 36-year-old Stephanie Pye.

Pye was found on April 6, 2022 and it was determined that she died as the result of an opioid overdose, according to a media release from the Yukon RCMP.

Later in April 2022, investigators arrested Skookum for trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking.

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Nearly a year later, on March 29, 2023, he was charged with manslaughter directly related to her death.

“We recognize that a lengthy period of time has passed since Stephanie's passing, and we continue to share our condolences with the Stephanie's family and friends,” the release says.

“This investigation is complex and required a significant amount of time to progress to the point of supporting this charge… This is the first opioid overdose death investigation that has lead to this specific outcome.”

Skookum was also arrested in February 2023 for allegedly robbing people who he arranged to meet with online. 

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