The RCMP have issued an arrest warrant for second-degree murder following Tuesday’s early-morning stabbing death in Whitehorse’s Copper Ridge neighbourhood.

Police are searching for Michael Thomas MacPherson, 32, and warn the public he is considered armed and dangerous.

The warrant comes after 27-year-old Tanner Sinclair died at Whitehorse General Hospital on Tuesday morning from his injuries.

Police and an ambulance responded to a home on Lazulite Drive at about 12:20 a.m. Tuesday after receiving a call that a man had been stabbed.

MacPherson is described as a Caucasian male with brown hair and blue eyes. He’s 5’10” and weighs about 220 pounds.

He has one vehicle registered to his name, a 2002 brown/gold Cadillac Escalade, with Yukon licence plate HHS50. 

Police say he could also be driving an older red Honda Civic with unknown plates. That car has several dents and is missing the door handle on the driver’s side.

“The RCMP urges the public not to approach Mr. MacPherson or his vehicles, but to immediately call 911 or the RCMP complaint line,” the police said in a press release.

According to police, he has connections in British Columbia and Saskatchewan and may have left the city.

MacPherson’s residence is listed in court records as 84B Lazulite Drive, where a police cruiser sat parked throughout the day on Tuesday.

Sinclair was a native of Pincher Creek, Alta., and moved to the Yukon a few years ago.

He worked for Glacier Drilling Ltd. in Whitehorse. He also worked for a time as a sheep hunting guide.

Lane Wolbert grew up with Sinclair in Pincher Creek. He was a few years older than Wolbert, but they went to the same high school and as teenagers spent time hunting, going to parties and mud bogging.

“He was a guy who would do anything for you,” Wolbert said in an interview Tuesday afternoon. “If you were in a pickle, if your truck was stuck, he’d help you out.”

He hadn’t seen Sinclair in a few years.

“The last time I saw him was at another buddy’s funeral, so it’s really too bad.”

Wolbert said Sinclair had one child, and his spouse is expecting a baby in the fall.

In an online hunting forum, several people shared their memories of Sinclair.

“He always had a huge smile on his face and helped so many people achieve their dream of taking a sheep,” wrote one poster.

“You can tell good people by how other good people relate to them. I haven’t met anyone who didn’t have great things to say about Tanner or have a wonderful story about how he impacted their life.”

RCMP are requesting anyone who has information about the incident, or anyone who knows the whereabouts of MacPherson, to contact them at 667-5555.

An officer was not made available to the Star this morning for an interview on the scope of the manhunt.