In the early morning hours of February 15, 2026, the quiet of a fish camp near Tuluksak, Alaska, was shattered by a fatal argument. Inside a cabin owned by 42-year-old Jonathan Owens, a dispute escalated, culminating in the shooting death of 54-year-old Nelson Hawk. Alaska State Troopers who responded to the scene discovered Hawk's body lying in the snow a short distance from the cabin, dead from an apparent shotgun wound.
Investigators found blood on multiple surfaces inside Owens'
cabin, indicating a violent struggle had taken place. The day after the discovery of Hawk's body, law enforcement returned to Tuluksak and arrested Owens in connection with the killing. The motive appears to have stemmed from a heated argument that turned deadly.
Jonathan Owens has been charged with second-degree murder for the death of Nelson Hawk. In addition to the murder charge, Owens also faces two counts of felony assault and one count of tampering with evidence. Authorities allege that he hid the shotgun used in the shooting and removed a shell casing from the scene in an attempt to cover up his involvement.
Following his arrest, Owens was transported to the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center in Bethel to await legal proceedings. A preliminary hearing in his case has been scheduled for February 27 in the Bethel courthouse. The body of Nelson Hawk was sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy, and his family has been notified of his death.
