The Champagne and Aishihik First Nations has issued a permanent ban against Seth Boss, the man convicted of manslaughter in the 2022 killing of community member Anthony Primozic in Haines Junction, Yukon.
Chief Barb Joe announced the ban on April 24, 2026, prohibiting Boss from entering any First Nation communities, settlement lands, or buildings owned by the First Nation. The Daylu Dena Council in Boss’s home community of Lower Post, British Columbia, has also implemented a permanent ban, preventing him from visiting or residing in their area.
The actions follow a Yukon Supreme Court decision on April 21, 2026, where Boss was found not guilty of second-degree murder. Chief Justice Suzanne Duncan ruled that the Crown failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Boss intended to kill Primozic, accepting the defence argument that Boss was too intoxicated at the time to form the necessary intent. The court heard that 25-year-old Primozic died from multiple injuries, including 111 puncture wounds, strangulation, and trauma from being struck with an electric guitar.
On April 28, 2026, the First Nation closed its administration offices so that staff and citizens could join approximately 450 people in a solidarity march in Whitehorse. Participants marched from the legislative assembly to the courthouse to protest the conviction and advocate for changes to the criminal justice system.
The First Nation’s leadership has committed to pushing for reforms regarding how intoxication is considered as a defence in Canadian law, as well as addressing institutional racism and promoting the decolonization of the legal system. Seth Boss is expected to return to court for sentencing on May 5, 2026.
