That puts APD at a more than 90 percent "clearance" rate for homicide cases. He always committed his murders at night, often around midnight or a short time after. Paula Zorawski,answered her front dooronly to be shot in the face by people, Anchorage police believe, were hoping to rob her son of marijuana. It took 26 days after Merrian's disappearance for her to be reported as a missing person and for the search for her to start. Together, the homicides pose a question for Anchorage: What made 2016 so deadly? Gardner was a beloved community member, devoted mother and a part-owner of Hilltop Recycling, a long-standing staple of the Chugiak area, according to her family. But at one of the many stops along the way, a grizzly discovery is made when crew membersfind the widower's body crammed into her own suitcase. [sic] A manwith some sort of English accent can be heard in the video as well. (Erik Hill / Alaska Dispatch News). All rights reserved. (Bill Roth / ADN). The caller told police the memory card had been found laying in the middle of the street of an Anchorage neighborhood. 2022 Anchorage Daily News. 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. All rights reserved. 28, 2020 at 10:10 AM PDT. The three cases police still considerunsolved are the deaths of Marcus Cosby Jr., 24, Elijah Zeller, 18, and Ian Bobich, 29. Of the 34 victims, 14 were under the age of 25. Thim declined to say anything about the other investigation, or whether Smith is a suspect in other crimes. The SD card, reportedly discovered lying in the street in an Anchorage neighborhood, was labeled homicide at midtown Marriott and contained graphic, time-stamped images and video recordings of a man beating and choking a naked woman, according to charging documents. 2023 BBC. 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. Gov. The State Medical Examiner Office is working to confirm her identity and manner of death. He worked in construction and kitchens, said Marcy, a paralegal. 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. die.". She was aged between 16 and 25 at the time of her death, and her body was discovered several months after her murder. 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. According to court documents, Denali Brehmer, 18, confessed to killing Cynthia Hoffman on June 2 at the . Born in Montana but raised in Alaska, Duke married, raised three children and worked jobs including as a teacher's aide. 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. Copyright 2021 KTUU. ANCHORAGE - Following a three-week trial in U.S. District Court, a federal jury convicted an Anchorage man on charges of murder in furtherance of a continuing criminal enterprise, using a firearm to commit murder in a drug trafficking crime, drug conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. He has since been released, now in the custody of authorities, and is charged with first- and second-degree murder. 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. Each of the three men died from gunshot wounds. Mar 6th 600p DARLA Recently retired newly weds embark on their third tropical cruise in less than year. "Why life seems harder, why things seem scarier why is that? On Wednesday,. 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. Last week, 23-year-old Darla Velador of Anchorage was stabbed to death. LOUISIANA MAN ARRESTED IN 1989 MURDER CASE: POLICE. According to police, the arrest came. Anchorage police identified thesecond victim as Veronica Abouchuk. Photos apparently show the woman underneath a blanketon a hotel luggage cart near a truck and in the truck bed, per the document. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "Loose lips sink ships," Markiewicz said. Officials allege they destroyed some of Hoffmans clothing, purse and cellphone, and Brehmer texted Hoffmans family to let them know they dropped her off at Polar Bear Park in Anchorage. A Wasilla woman was shot four times at home Sunday night and her husband is charged with her murder, according to Alaska State Troopers. 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. ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A Utah couple was celebrating their wedding anniversary aboard an Alaska cruise when the husband was found covered in blood next to his wife's lifeless body, a frenzy of . With the SD card, one of the first questions that detectives had to answer was, Was this staged, or did this really happen? Just two years ago, in 2014, Anchorage ended the year with 13 homicides on the books the lowest in two decades. In 2017, the year Queenie was killed, the rate of women killed by men in Alaska was three times the national average and the highest in the United States, according to the Violence Policy Center. 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. Then, on Wednesday, Oct. 2, the womans body was found along Turnagain Arm, near the Rainbow trailhead. All rights reserved. She deserves just as much as a search for her people as any other victim, as any other survivor. Police point at recent hiring of new officers as an effort to make the city safer. Police solved an Alaskan murder with a memory card found along road. (In addition to the 75 criminal attorneys, about 25 more work on appeals and childrens cases.) According to court documents and evidence presented . He also told officials Brehmer communicated with him throughout the murder, and sent Snapchat photographs and videos of Hoffman while bound and then after the murder. The callertold police the memory card was found layingin the middle of the street in the Fairview neighborhood of Anchorage. He has not yet entered a plea. The memory card, which was labeled homicide at midtown Marriott, was given to police by the woman who found it, charging documents obtained by NBC affiliate KTUU in Anchorage showed. At one point, the agencys seven-attorney Bethel office was down to three, he said. In 2017, the year Queenie was killed, the rate of women killed by men in Alaska was three times the national average and the highest in the United States, according to the Violence Policy Center. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Police and a crime scene investigation unit spent much of Tuesday afternoon and evening at the home where Smith lived with his wife, hauling away a black pickup, neighbors said. Brian Steven Smith, a 48-year-old reportedly from South Africa, was arrested at Ted Stevens International Airport after investigators linked him to the crime. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! James Dale Ritchie was a senior at East High School in 1994. McIntosh was arrested, but Brehmer denied any involvement in the death. An update released by Anchorage Police four months later stated they had taken a then 21-year-old named Orion Lind into custody but no charges were brought over Brandon's murder. But he added that those specific failures were symptoms of broader dysfunction, like public defender and prosecutor jobs going unfilled because of obstacles to recruitment and retention, as well as travel restrictions. [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. 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. "One of the little girls from that room came running out, calling for help, that her parents had been in a fight," one passenger told CBS News. 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. Do you know this baby? Alaska copscharged an Anchorage man with murderTuesday after shocking videos found on a mysterious memory card allegedly capturedthe suspectassaulting and killing a woman whose remains were recently discoverednear a highway. 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. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Its just really incredibly disheartening, Pearson said. [14], In 1984, Robert Hansen admitted that he was responsible for the victim's death. It had 39 images and 12 videos that recorded the alleged crime. The same year, Ritchie was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, an honor society for two-year colleges, and graduated from Blue Mountain Community College with an associate degree in science, according to his diploma. 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. Smith appeared in court Wednesday, where a judge said he'd be appointed a public defender. He told Anchorage District Court Judge Brian Clark that he had about $2,000 in total saved. Veronica Abouchuck, left, and Kathleen Henry. A corrections officer told the court Doubek was on suicide protocols and unable to participate. Doubek and Gardner shared a home in a Wasilla neighborhood off of Snowshoe Lane. "It depends on what we're looking at as far as danger," said McKinnon, speaking generally about citizen safety and homicides in 2016. The race is on: What to know about the 2023 Iditarod, No injuries in downtown Anchorage commercial building collapse. Incident happened aboard the Emerald Princess cruise ship (file picture), Harry: I always felt different to rest of family, Inside the enclave surrounded by pro-Russia forces, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, Canadian grandma helps police snag phone scammer. As Merritt approachedAndrew Robertson-Goughnor, police said, Robertson-Goughnor shot him. Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. Police have not identified the victim, who is said to have been killed during the first week of September. "[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". Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. New documents from Ritchie'stime at community collegein Virginiapresent a portrait of a striving engineering student whose work was so good that a professor wrote in a 2013 letter of recommendation that he gradedRitchie's exams first and used them as the test's key. Denali Brehmer, 22, pleaded guilty Wednesday to first-degree murder in the June 2019 death of Cynthia Hoffman, the Alaska Department of Law said. The card was also labeled homicide at midtown Mariott. An affidavit filed with the criminal complaint against him details a strange chain of events that led police to a trove of gruesome videos and photos. 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. Nancy Furlow . On Thursday, a grand jury indicted Smith onmurder and evidence tampering charges in Abouchuk's death. Detectives recognized Brian Steven Smith from the graphic videos because Smith is involved in a separate ongoing investigation, said Anchorage Police Department spokesman MJ Thim. (The motion argued that the judge misunderstood the limits on public defenders, who do not choose which charges are filed.). Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, MacDonald denied the request, saying his findings are not an indictment of the Alaska Public Defender Agency nor its attorneys. In court Wednesday, Smith appeared in handcuffs, wearing a yellow jail jumpsuit. The trial has been delayed at least 15 times at the request of the defense, according to MacDonalds order. All but one of the victims in those cases were female. This week, Brian Smith, 48, was charged with first-degree murder in the case, the Anchorage Police Department said in a Wednesday statement. The Alaska Public Defender Agencys longtime director, Quinlan Steiner, announced his resignation in April. Anchorage Police Chief Justin Doll told reporters Abouchuk's family reported her missing in February, but he said she had. Alaskas public defenders have argued for the past two years that rising caseloads and tight budgets are straining their ability to fulfill their constitutional obligation to represent their clients. Anchorage police investigate a fatal shooting at the Holiday Gas Station located on Abbott Road on Wednesday evening, May 25, 2016. In some villages, city and tribal leaders say they have no choice but to hire convicted criminals as cops. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Nine months and a long Arctic winter have come and gone since the abduction, sexual assault and murder of 10-year-old Ashley Johnson-Barr in the northwest Alaska hub community of Kotzebue.. Signs . 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. TENNESSEE COLLEGE STUDENT ACCUSED OF FATAL SHOOTING IN DORM. Legal Statement. Slawomir Markiewicz, the Anchorage Police Department's top detective. Police said the body was found near milepost 108 of Seward Highway on Oct. 2. There were no immediate details aboutthe earlierinvestigation involving Smith. Troopers: Wasilla woman killed, husband charged with her murder, 2023 Iditarod pre-race coverage and Ceremonial Start, Melissa Fry has the forecast for the Iditarod restart in Willow, Animal rights group PETA continues targeting Iditarod sponsors. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. They are unwilling to share details of crimes in which charges have not been filed. 32. "I'd say a great number of our citizens don't engage in any activity that's considered dangerous.". There wasSelena Mullenax, a young mother studying for her GEDfound shotin a public park on a winter morning. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? "In the fog and the white light, I saw him walking down the alley," Marcy said. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. McKinnon said police are still trying to piece together what Ritchie did on a daily basis during the months he is believed to have been back in Anchorage. All rights reserved. "Clearance" means police have either made an arrest, prosecutors have declined to file charges due to self-defense or some other reason, or the suspect died. According to the Violence Policy Center, Alaska ranked number one in murder of women by men in incidents where there were one victim and one offender from 2014 through 2018. Market data provided by Factset. Passengers told CBS News that a "murder mystery" theme dinner had been taking place when the incident occurred, and several passengers first confused the crime for a hoax. Theres a new fight over Bering Sea black cod. 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 Midtown hotel room. A Snapchat video showed two of the teens accused of killing 19-year-old Cynthia Hoffman near the Thunderbird Falls trailhead in June apparently discussing the crime. Her body was found along the Seward Highway south of Anchorage on Oct. 2. But I feel that in the air.". According to Hansen, he persuaded Eklutna Annie to help him winch his pickup free from the mud, although when he began to drive his vehicle free, Eklutna Annie attempted to run. Police are careful not to blame victims of violent crimes. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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.". 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. [4][7][n 1], Eklutna Annie's body was markedly decomposed, indicating her death had occurred months prior. But its workload is growing more quickly just between the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years, it saw a 16 percent increase in felony cases statewide, according to data the agency has presented to the Legislature. We still dont know who she is and we dont know much about her," said Thim. Read about our approach to external linking. The judges order describes a disparity in the next phase of the criminal justice system the one that begins after a suspect is arrested and the clock starts ticking toward a timely resolution for defendant and victim. APD officer Arn Salao was wounded and the suspect, James Dale Ritchie, was killed in the early-morning shootout. Advocate for missing and murdered women, reflecting on the ongoing efforts to identify Eklutna Annie[18], Eklutna Annie remains unidentified. But detectives had gotten video of the homicide days prior to finding the victims body, police said. Many questions remain unanswered Wednesday, including the identity of the woman. McIntosh, who is being tried as an adult in the case, was the gunman, prosecutors say. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. In the years since, he'd helped her live with lasting injuries. During an arraignment at Anchorage Jail Court Wednesday, a judge set Smiths bail at $750,0000 cash and appointed a public defender to represent him. "Because of his knowledge other students identify him as a potential source of aid but may have been intimidated by his high level of self confidence," the letter said. (Loren Holmes / Alaska Dispatch News). Pilot Project sites will implement initial response plans for tribal communities' response to new missing and murdered persons cases Anchorage, Alaska - United States Attorney Bryan Schroder announced Alaska's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Pilot Project (Pilot Project) today. IE 11 is not supported. 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. Other images showed her being strangled by a man who was yelling at her to die in what sounded like a foreign accent, at one point stomping on her throat. Witness memories fade, Skidmore said.
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