The motion filed by Walters new public defender, Julia Metzger, cited MacDonalds comments in hearings over the summer, including remarks about the public defender agency neglecting clients and accusing its attorneys of complete abandonment and total disregard of professional responsibilities., Metzger said MacDonald launched into a 17-minute diatribe at a July 18 hearing, during which he predicted the public defender agency might continue to delay the Mountain Village homicide trial until 2020. His hair was long. Thats going to escalate things tremendously because when were talking about misuse of substances, that inhibition is gone. Born in Montana but raised in Alaska, Duke married, raised three children and worked jobs including as a teacher's aide. Kyle Hopkins and Nat Herz, Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Public Media. Together, the homicides pose a question for Anchorage: What made 2016 so deadly? ", Autumn Smith. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? "That tells us other people believe it is a good place," he said. According to court documents, Denali Brehmer, 18, confessed to killing Cynthia Hoffman on June 2 at the . "We are working on the Ship Creek case still and the Valley of the Moon Park," said Markiewicz. But the same weapon found on Ritchie at the time of his death an uncommon, vintage Colt Python .357 was used to kill four other people in a two-month span: Brianna Foisy, 20, and Jason Netter Sr., 41, on the Ship Creek Trail July 3, and Bryant "Brie" De Husson, 25, and Kevin Turner, 34, at Valley of the Moon Park on Aug. 28. When troopers arrived, they found Doubek lying just inside the front door. Market data provided by Factset. They are unwilling to share details of crimes in which charges have not been filed. Troopers arrived hours later and interviewed Walters, who admitted to beating Queenie, his 22-year-old girlfriend, with his fists and a broom handle. All rights reserved. In 2007, she had been severely injured when her fiance's son,Christopher Erin Rodgers, attacked the couple with a machete at their Palmer home. About three weeks before Hoffman was killed, Brehmer and Schilmiller began discussing a plan to rape and murder someone in Alaska, according to court documents. Nancy Furlow . State lawmakers this year held the public defenders base budget effectively flat, though they included some $1.3 million, or a roughly 5 percent boost, in separate criminal justice legislation that was expected to generate more prosecutions. According to the bail memo, Alaska State Troopers earlier this year recovered a skull with a gunshot wound in an area near the location Smith later provided. The caller later told officers the card a small memory card used in portable digital devices was discarded on the street at the corner of Fairbanks Street and 13th Avenue in Fairview, near the Gambell Carrs store. Detectives knew almost immediately that something was wrong, that someones loved one was killed when they found her remains, he said. [10], As Eklutna Annie struggled against his efforts to overpower her, she had screamed, "Don't kill me! ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) The Iditarod, the world's most famous sled dog race, starts Saturday with a fan-friendly ceremonial run through the streets of Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. The state of Alaskas criminal justice system is operating on the fringes, barely able to protect against the deprivation of fundamental rights, barely able to respond in a professionally responsible manner to Alaska (s) rising violent crime rates, Fairbanks Superior Court Judge Michael A. MacDonald wrote in a blistering Aug. 30 decision, which has previously not been reported. More than three dozenimages and 12 videos were stored on the card, according to the charging documents. 28, 2020 at 10:10 AM PDT. But APD isnot ready to close the cases. "In the fog and the white light, I saw him walking down the alley," Marcy said. Federal Jury Convicts Anchorage Man on Murder and Drug Charges Authorities say Schilmiller, who has been arrested in New Salisbury, Indiana, and will be transferred to Alaska next month, began an online relationship with 18-year-old Denali Brehmer of Anchorage, posing as Tyler. Mar 6th 600p DARLA Recently retired newly weds embark on their third tropical cruise in less than year. People were shot to death at a gas station, in a beloved park in the heart of the city, on a scenic beach where people go to look at the mountains. "What we're seeing is that when we ask the community for assistance, they really respond to us," he said. Brian Steven Smith is shown being arraigned on a charge of first-degree murder at the Anchorage Jail courtroom Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska. Even after that request was granted, Steiner said at a legislative budget hearing in March that he needed at least nine more lawyers, on top of an existing staff of roughly 75 criminal attorneys, to fulfill the agencys constitutional obligations. Her eldest daughter Chloe was killed with her. Police said they will release the name of the deceased woman once her identity is confirmed and family is notified. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Alaska teens hoping to cash in on a $9 million offer from a Midwest millionaire brutally killed a developmentally disabled woman on a popular trail outside Anchorage, shooting her in the back of the head and dumping her body in a river, authorities allege. Schilmiller offered Brehmer nine or more million dollars to carry out the murder and to have photographs and/or videos of the murder sent to him, the documents say. Investigators believe the remains along the highway belonged to the woman killed in the videos and they believe Smith killed her in early Septemberand recorded the photos and videos himself. All rights reserved. Man accused of killing 23-year-old daughter in Anchorage charged with or redistributed. [14], In 1984, Robert Hansen admitted that he was responsible for the victim's death. Detectives saythey have a "good understanding" of what happened and who was involved in each of those cases. In the Lower 48, gangs are more organized and act as outside-the-law businesses, pushing drugs and weapons in defined territories. Moody, the Alaska Public Defender Agency supervisor, said there are currently 11 vacant attorney positions out of 98 statewide. He has since been released, now in the custody of authorities, and is charged with first- and second-degree murder. Homicide detectives began combing through the 39 images and 12 videos on the card, all documenting a horrifying scene of violence against an unknown woman. Authorities who have reviewed the videos and photos said they remembered Smith from another investigationand found he was registered in early September to a room at a local hotel that has carpet that matches the one seen in the footage. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Seven Cold Case Task Force offices across the nation, dedicated to solving cold cases involving missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, are opening in the next few weeks, one expected to open in Anchorage. Her body was found along the Seward Highway south of Anchorage on Oct. 2. The group met to decide how they would divvy up the money. July 27, 2017 / 10:16 AM / CBS News A suspect is in custody Thursday morning after a woman was found dead on a cruise ship in Alaska. According to the affidavit, the couple had separate bedrooms. A man accused of killing a woman and recording it on an SD card later found in the street has been indicted in the murder of a second woman in Alaska, authorities announced Thursday. [17], To date, Roxane Easland, Karen Evan, Megan Emerick, and Teresa Davis have been ruled out as being Eklutna Annie. Photos apparently show the woman underneath a blanketon a hotel luggage cart near a truck and in the truck bed, per the document. Smith is originally from South Africa. "[13], According to Hansen, he then drove in the direction of Eklutna Lake, with his vehicle eventually becoming stuck on a desolate road as he veered in the direction of a "muddy swamp". An economic thing happening? Two days later, both Brehmer and McIntosh were interviewed. A 48-year-old Anchorage man was charged with murder after someone found a digital card containing dozens of videos and photos that authorities say show him beating and killing a woman in a. Copyright 2021 KTUU. While the agencys inflation-adjusted spending has doubled in the past 30 years, its felony caseload has tripled, it says. Marcy keeps running over the questions in her mind: Why is this happening in Anchorage? Without a doubt, the new director will get this order for a variety of reasons, and will be thinking about how we can do things more efficiently, Moody said. Many of the victims were young. All rights reserved. So far, nothing has been found. Making the decision to leave, to start the processes for divorce or anything like that, that definitely would escalate the situation and increase lethality for that victim, Pearson said. Doubek and Gardner shared a home in a Wasilla neighborhood off of Snowshoe Lane. ANCHORAGE, Alaska A woman pleaded guilty to murder after an Indiana man allegedly offered her $9 million to "rape and murder someone in Alaska." According to the Alaska Department of Law, 22-year-old Denali Brehmer admitting to killing 19-year-old Cynthia Hoffman on June 29, 2019, near Thunderbird Falls in Chugiak, Alaska. "He had a leather jacket on and blue jeans, with a hoodie. The Department of Law asked that Smith'sbond be set at $2 million. Anthoney and his girlfriend moved to Anchorage from Twin Falls, Idaho, in 1985 when authorities in Idaho accused him of raping and brutally beating a twelve-year-old girl at a campground near Twin Falls. According to online court records, no new trial date has been set in the killing of Gertrude Queenie. The . This years Iditarod field is the smallest in history. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Gardner was shot four times, according to the charging documents. Contact her at mtheriault@adn.com. Anchorage's deadly year: With 34 homicide victims, violence hits home Hoffman, 19, died from a gunshot wound to the. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. What science tells us about the afterlife. According to court papers, the group went off trail and followed a path to the bank of the Eklutna River, where Hoffman was bound, shot and thrown into the river. In 2016, some 34 people were killed by homicide in Anchorage. She deserves just as much as a search for her people as any other victim, as any other survivor. He does not look like the young man he portrayed himself to look like, he is not a millionaire and he lives in Indiana, court documents say. Witnesses say that the incident was described by crew members as "a domestic disturbance". [9] A box of Salem matches were found in a pocket of her jacket, indicating she may have been a smoker. Shannon Duke. The district covers an enormous and geographically diverse swath of Alaska, from the woodsy Alaska-Canada border in the Interior to the Bering Sea coast. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Cynthia Hoffman. 32. Anchorage Police investigate the scene where human remains we found at mile 108 of the Seward Highway near Rainbow on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019. The man in the video speaks with a distinct accent, which led detectives to recall a separate case involving Smith, a South African immigrant living in Anchorage. Bill said that in her experience with the criminal justice system, cases involving white defendants and victims appear to be resolved more quickly than cases involving Alaska Natives. She was aged between 16 and 25 at the time of her death, and her body was discovered several months after her murder. (Anchorage, AK) - On April 22, 2021, thirty-one year-old Randall Igou was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Eric Aarseth for Murder in the First Degree. Indiana man enters not guilty pleas in Alaska murder plot Smiths wife of five years, Stephanie Bissland, told KTUU on Oct. 10 that Smith was a good husband, and she did not believe the allegations against him. Authorities who reviewed the SD cards contents said they remembered Smith from another investigation and found he was registered in early September to a room at a local hotel which had the same carpet pattern as the one in the video. Smith is charged with first-degree murder. Police detectivesdon't attribute 2016's increase in homicides to any one cause. In a separate federal investigation rising from the investigation, Schilmiller and Brehmer were indicted Tuesday on federal child pornography charges, including production and coercion and enticement of a minor. Alaska woman catfished by Indiana man pleads guilty to murder 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. [n 2], The remains of Eklutna Annie are interred at the Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery, under a marker reading "Jane Doe / Died 1980".[21][22]. Slawomir Markiewicz, the Anchorage Police Department's top detective. This years Iditarod field is the smallest in history. On that day, close to midnight, 48-year-old Charles Doubek called 911 and told dispatchers his wife had been shot, according to a version of events relayed in an affidavit by Alaska State Trooper investigator Jason Fieser. [2][4], Serial killer Robert Hansen admitted responsibility for Eklutna Annie's murder in 1984. TENNESSEE COLLEGE STUDENT ACCUSED OF FATAL SHOOTING IN DORM. Doubek slept downstairs. Ritchie grew up in Anchorage and was a standout athlete at East High School in the mid-1990s before involvement in drugs led to a felony record that derailed his life. Warming water may be to blame. But they are working to build a case meeting the evidence threshold that would allow for prosecution, Markiewicz said. Mike Dunleavy named Steiners replacement Tuesday: Samantha Cherot of Anchorage, who has worked both as a public defender and a private criminal defense and family attorney. Deputy District Attorney Brittany Dunlop said the process calls for the case to be brought before a grand jury. Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com, Timothy Hoffman, right, father of slain teenager Cynthia Hoffman receives support from Edie Grunwald, left, who's son David Grunwald was murdered in Nov. 2016, as they entered a Superior courtroom for the arraignment of Cynthia's murder suspects in the Nesbett Courthouse on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 in Anchorage, Alaska. For many, it was the year the city's violence hit home,even if they didn't personally know any of the victims. AnAlaska man accused of brutally assaulting and murdering a woman who was seen strangled in videos found ona digital memory cardhasbeen charged with another death, authorities said Thursday. Her fiance was killed. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Alaska teens hoping to cash in on a $9 million offer from a Midwest millionaire brutally killed a developmentally disabled woman on a popular trail outside Anchorage, shooting her in the back of the head and dumping her body in a river, authorities allege. Thim said the arrest hinged on two aspects of the investigation: the citizen who chose to call police when they found that card, and the coordination between law enforcement agencies handling the separate cases of the videos and the body. "Is it a greater population? For all the good the internet can do, it can be a very dark place, Bryan Schroder, the U.S. attorney in Alaska, said at a news conference Tuesday. He said Eklutna Annie was either an exotic dancer from a local bar or a prostitute and that she was his first murder victim,[15] adding that she had been murdered in the fall or early winter of 1979. She wore several articles of clothing, including a brown leather hip-length jacket, a light-colored knitted sleeveless shirt (possibly white, beige, or light gray in color), blue jeans, and red, knee-high, high-heeled, zip-up boots. has been charged with first- and second-degree murder, and was taken to Anchorage Jail. According to police, the arrest came after someone reported finding a digital storage device containing video of the killing. She has not been identified. [3][4], Eklutna Annie was murdered by serial killer Robert Hansen, most likely in 1979. The need for nine more lawyers was based on a 45-year-old standard set by the American Bar Association that public defenders annual caseloads should not exceed 150 felonies. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Moren, a patron at the bar, was shot and killed in the alley as the bar was closing early in the morning on Dec. 24. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The case marks the second killing in less than six months involving a video. All but one of the victims in those cases were female. "I'd say a great number of our citizens don't engage in any activity that's considered dangerous.". Brian Steven Smith, 48, admitted to detectives that he was the man inimages and videos from the card, according to a document filed by the state Department of Law. MacDonald declined to be interviewed, saying that Walters case is still open. In 2011 and 2012, Ritchie was named to the President's List at Blue Mountain Community College in Weyers Cave, in western Virginia, according to school documents obtained by Alaska Dispatch News. Pilot Projects Launched to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous [5][3][10], An autopsy of Eklutna Annie's body revealed she was petite in stature,[11] and most likely white, although she may have had a degree of Native American heritage. "Why life seems harder, why things seem scarier why is that? Days later, on Oct. 2, police officers found human remains on the side of a highway. Anchorage Police Chief Justin Doll told reporters Abouchuk's family reported her missing in February, but he said she had last been seen by them in July 2018. A 19-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska, was allegedly killed by her best friend and several other teen accomplices after they were promised millions of dollars for video evidence of the killing by a man who had catfished them. Clark asked that he be appointed a public defender and set his bail at $500,000 cash appearance bond and a $250,000 cash performance bond. Smith appeared in court Wednesday, where a judge said he'd be appointed a public defender. "They are engaging in this behavior where maybe a mature person would say, 'I'd never do that,' but to the people involved this is real stuff to them disrespect. Alaska emergency officials issued an AMBER Alert for 8-month-old boy Ahmiri Chaney on Feb. 17, 2023. . MacDonald denied the request, saying his findings are not an indictment of the Alaska Public Defender Agency nor its attorneys. The death on Tuesday night triggered a lockdown of the 3,400-passenger ship. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Doubek did not attend his scheduled arraignment Thursday. More officers on the streets as with arecently addeddowntown foot patrol,members of which made an arrest in Moren's murder onChristmas Eve make streets safer. It is routine for me to enter class seeing several other students at the board with James as he provides guidance not only for my class but other classes as well.". An Alaska resident found a stray SD card lying on the street in late September and discovered gruesome content inside: images and video of a woman appearing to be assaulted and murdered. ThatFriday, she dropped him off for an evening out downtown. Alaska woman pleads guilty to killing 'best friend' after man catfished A handwritten note laid on a nearby bench with the words Shes havin an affair proof is in the phone. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. She championed any child she met that needed a second chance for success, her obituary said. Suzi Pearson, executive director for the Abused Womens Aid in Crisis shelter in Anchorage, said the decision to split up or leave a relationship can be a particularly dangerous time in the life of a woman experiencing domestic violence. There has been some suggestion by family members out-of-state that he had recently showed signs of mental illness, McKinnon confirmed, but added, "I don't think we have any concrete evidence to support that.". Brehmer ultimately admitted to being solicited by Schilmiller to commit the murder and that the murder was planned once she realized she had been catfished by Schilmiller, the documents say. Smith, 48, appeared in Anchorage Superior Court on Wednesday afternoon. A man charged with murder is accused of fatally stabbing his 23-year-old daughter Friday in Anchorage's Fairview neighborhood. All the white people are getting done first while the Natives get pushed to the back burner, Bill wrote in a Facebook message, when asked about the case. Missing and murdered indigenous women cold case office - Anchorage, AK 2023 BBC. Early on Christmas Eve, James "Lucas" Moren became Anchorage homicide victimNo. The graphic videos show a woman being strangled and a mans voice saying justdie, the Associated Press reported. At the sentencing hearing, the State presented video . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, If you are considering suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or Stop Suicide Alaska at 1-877-266-HELP. Police were able to identify Smith, a native of South Africa, from the video after recognizing him from a separate, unspecified investigation, in part because of his accent. The year'shomicides include at least seven domestic violence killings, where the victim is believed to have beenslain by an intimate partner or someone in their immediate family. Igou pleaded guilty on November 5, 2020 to the September 10, 2017 murder of Aurora Paint Company co-owner Gregory Gill. Rodgers went on to kill another man in Anchorage and shoot two others who survived before his 26-hour rampage ended. Among those charged is Darin Schilmiller, whom authorities say presented himself as the millionaire Tyler from Kansas, using a fake photograph. Such delays typically benefit defendants and make it harder for prosecutors to secure convictions, said Alaska Deputy Attorney General John Skidmore. "She sounded pretty desperate, but the crew came up as quickly as they could", he said, adding that the incident occurred on the 9th floor of the 19-deck ship. More than a few cases seem to trace back to a personal slight or insult that escalated into violence, said Lt. John McKinnon, head of APD's homicide unit. During the initial 911 call, Doubek reportedly had slurred, garbled speech and admitted to shooting his wife, according to the affidavit. [16], Hansen was sentenced to 461 years in prison without the possibility of parole for her murder and three others. But the 2016 toll also reflects one extraordinary factor:a potential serial killer apparently targeting strangers. It had 39 images and 12 videos that recorded the alleged crime. Federal authorities allege Brehmer produced sexually explicit videos involving a minor and sent them to Schilmiller. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Content Warning: This article contains information that might be difficult for some readers. In a lot of ways I think it is generational," McKinnon said. Police have not identified the victim, who is said to have been killed during the first week of September. The Associated Press contributed to this report. ", "DNA Match IDs Alaska Serial Killer's Victim After 37 Years", https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14666142/?ref_=ttep_ep3, https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2020/09/22/do-you-know-this-woman/, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Eklutna_Annie&oldid=1140185336, Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery, Anchorage, Alaska. Cellphone records trace Smith to having been at the place where the remains were found within minutes of when the last photo on the SD card was taken, police documents outline. Smith remained in jail on Wednesday where he is being held on an outstanding warrant. She was aged between 16 and 25 at the time of her death, and her body was discovered several months after her murder. [6], On July 17, 1980, Eklutna Annie's skeletal remains were found by workmen, buried in a shallow grave along a series of power lines north of Anchorage. Catfisher Convinced Alaska Teens to Murder a Developmentally Disabled A man has been arrested in connection to the murder of a woman aboard a cruise ship off the coast of Alaska, police say, in what has been described as a "domestic disturbance". Mystery over woman's murder on Alaska cruise ship - BBC News Anchorage police investigate a fatal shooting at the Holiday Gas Station located on Abbott Road on Wednesday evening, May 25, 2016. The Alaska teens are being represented by the public defenders office, which has a policy of not commenting on cases. Sarah Palin in 2007, admonished public defenders for specific professional failures in their handling of Walters case. Brehmer and McIntosh used Leylands pickup on June 2 to take Hoffman on a hike at Thunderbird Falls, a popular location about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Anchorage. This page was last edited on 18 February 2023, at 21:52. When substance misuse and mental health problems are part of the dynamic, it heightens the risk, she said. 2022 Anchorage Daily News. In 2004 a 40-year-old lady named Merrian was taking a cruise to Alaska on board the Celebrity Mercury. In arguments included with MacDonalds order, public defenders described an agency at its breaking point, struggling to retain experienced attorneys and unable to compete for recruits against cities with a lower cost of living and comparable pay. As Merritt approachedAndrew Robertson-Goughnor, police said, Robertson-Goughnor shot him. When a composite sketch of the man suspected in the death of TreyveonThompson was released, more than 190 people called in tips, McKinnon said. Read about our approach to external linking. In June, U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr declared a public safety emergency in the state, announcing $10.5 million in funding for village police, equipment and public safety buildings. MacDonald, who was appointed by then-Gov. Tracy Hansen and her dog, Gunner, were walking on the sidewalk in Anchorage, Alaska, when she was suddenly knocked to the ground, she told NBC .

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