A man from the Tlicho community of Gameti, charged with murder in the death of Archie Wedzin in Behchoko on April 8, now has two legal aid lawyers representing him.
Alecus Quitte, 21, made a brief video court appearance in Yellowknife on Tuesday.
Neither he nor his lawyers are contesting his continued custody at the North Slave Correctional Complex (NSCC) in Yellowknife.
During his appearance Tuesday, one of his lawyers told the judge that they are in conversation with the Crown prosecutor.
However, neither he nor the Crown were willing to tell CKLB whether the two sides are trying to hammer out a plea deal.
It is believed that the Crown has not yet determined if Quitte will face a first or second-degree murder charge.
A plea agreement could theoretically see a first-degree murder charge reduced to second-degree or a second-degree murder charge reduced to manslaughter.
A first-degree murder conviction carries an automatic life sentence with no parole for at least 25 years, while a second-degree murder conviction also carries a life sentence with no parole for at least ten years.
During an appearance earlier this summer, it was learned that Quitte had yet to be assigned a legal aid lawyer.
It is relatively rare for two legal aid lawyers to be assigned to a case, even a murder charge,
According to an RCMP news release, Quitte was arrested on May 14 and charged with murder the nexy day in the death of Wedzin, 59.
No motive for the crime has ever been publicly mentioned in court or by police
Mounties do state that Behchoko and Gameti RCMP, NT RCMP Major Crimes Unit, Forensic Identification Services and supporting units have continued to follow the leads in this homicide investigation.
Quitte is to be back in court on October 29, again by video.