Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-99.237.119.235-20130407020137/@comment-6881629-20151231203150

Arvel shouldn't be essential or even protected, if you don't kill him after cutting him down the traps or draugr always do as he runs away. If your on a console reload a save before cutting him down or entering the barrow and try again, on a PC you could try opening the console clicking on Arvel and using the command kill if that doesn't work try -

setessential 00039646 0

If he has been made essential by something that should remove it.