Our salaries up here used to be the draw, an attorney for the agency said. APD asked morning commuters to avoid the area. 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. But detectives had gotten video of the homicide days prior to finding the victims body, police 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. The Anchorage office is expected to open on August 27. Her body was found along the Seward Highway south of Anchorage on Oct. 2. 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. Many questions remain unanswered Wednesday, including the identity of the woman. Kyle Hopkins and Nat Herz, Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Public Media. Alaska man accused of strangling captured on digital memory card 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. The . Missing and murdered indigenous women cold case office - Anchorage, AK In 2004 a 40-year-old lady named Merrian was taking a cruise to Alaska on board the Celebrity Mercury. Nearly a week prior, on Sept. 30, someone called Anchorage Policeclaiming to have "an SD card containing a video of a homicide," according to a press release from authorities. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Alaska woman catfished by Indiana man pleads guilty to murder "That tells us other people believe it is a good place," he said. Princess Cruises said 39-year-old Kristy Manzanares of Utah. "Same exactly happens to homicide cases. Little is known about Smith, the man charged. The millionaires only demand for the payout was either photos or video of the slaying, according to court documents laying out first-degree murder and other charges against six people in the June 2 death of 19-year-old Cynthia Hoffman. Smith had registered a room at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott the night the video was taken, according to the affidavit. (Scott Jensen / Alaska Dispatch News). At 41, he was a bachelor. 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. Detectives arrested Smith at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to APD. Anchorage Police investigate the scene where human remains we found at mile 108 of the Seward Highway near Rainbow on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019. In an unusual order, an Alaska judge has declared a crisis in the states courts, saying that turnover among public defenders is delaying criminal trials and denying justice for victims and defendants alike. And he blamed the dysfunction not on managers but on spending plans and policy decisions made by Alaska governors and lawmakers over the years, and continuing to this day. But there are plenty of public defender offices in the Lower 48 who are offering those exact salaries right now with lower cost of living and more stability in their government and their budget., The public defender agency asked that MacDonald be disqualified from the Mountain Village case because of his bias against the agency and Walters, the defendant. MacDonald, who was appointed by then-Gov. The domestic violence-related cases range from amother accused of suffocating her infant daughter,to a man accused of fatally shootinghis son-in-law. This week, Brian Smith, 48, was charged with first-degree murder in the case, the Anchorage Police Department said in a Wednesday statement. Gov. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. This story was produced as part of a collaboration between Alaska Public Media and the Anchorage Daily News. A 22-year-old Alaska woman pleaded guilty to murdering her 19-year-old "best friend" in 2019 after a man who was allegedly catfishing her offered her $9 million to kill someone. (Bill Roth/Anchorage Daily News via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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. Nationally, the homicide clearance rate hovers around 64 percent, according to statistics from the FBI. In 2016, some 34 people were killed by homicide in Anchorage. Then, on Wednesday, Oct. 2, the womans body was found along Turnagain Arm, near the Rainbow trailhead. When they were able to determine that this was an actual crime, then the investigation started to quickly speed up.. 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. Gardner was shot four times, according to the charging documents. On Sept. 30, police received a report from someone saying they had found an SD card containing several videos of an assault and murder. [sic] A manwith some sort of English accent can be heard in the video as well. Police had found Henrys remains on the side of a highway on Oct. 2. Anchorage police: Homicide video victim - Alaska Public Media The Emerald Princess, operated by Princess Cruises, had departed from Seattle on Sunday for a week-long trip. The SD card was labeled Homicide at midtown Marriott, according to the affidavit. Smith, 48, appeared in Anchorage Superior Court on Wednesday afternoon. 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". Judge: case of slain Mountain Village woman shows how Alaska's justice Armando Velador Padilla, 46, was taken into custody after the. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen). 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. The FBI is investigating the death because it occurred in US waters. A separate 1998 audit done for the Alaska Legislature said the states public defenders can ethically handle no more than 59 cases in a 60-hour work week; by that standard, Steiner said at the March hearing, his agency needed 66 more lawyers to fulfill its constitutional obligations. But they are working to build a case meeting the evidence threshold that would allow for prosecution, Markiewicz said. 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. He always committed his murders at night, often around midnight or a short time after. 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. In response, he chased after her, grabbed her by the hair and tripped her to the ground. die.". (Loren Holmes / Alaska Dispatch News). 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. It's unclear who the woman is, but authorities are working to identify her and determine how she died. Warming water may be to blame. Around 2010, he left Alaska and spent time in Las Vegas before moving to Virginia, where his parents now live. He warned Metzger against scurrying around in district court, spending time on lesser felony cases instead of the homicide case, according to her motion. If you or someone you know is struggling with a substance use disorder, help is available. [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. 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. ALASKAN MURDER: ENIGMA WITHIN AN ENIGMA - The New York Times When troopers arrived, they found Doubek lying just inside the front door. Witnesses say that the incident was described by crew members as "a domestic disturbance". [1], Last edited on 18 February 2023, at 21:52, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, "Eklutna Annie: Put The Focus Back on Me! [7] He further recollected: "I picked her up downtown and told her I was going to take her to my home". "We are working on the Ship Creek case still and the Valley of the Moon Park," said Markiewicz. The Alaska teens are being represented by the public defenders office, which has a policy of not commenting on cases. [2][4], Serial killer Robert Hansen admitted responsibility for Eklutna Annie's murder in 1984. Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, 'The nurses wanted me to feel guilty about my abortion, From Afghan TV fame to a US factory floor. "It depends on what we're looking at as far as danger," said McKinnon, speaking generally about citizen safety and homicides in 2016. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Anchorage Police Department has identified the victim as Kathleen J. Henry, 30, according to a statement released Thursday afternoon. 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. According to the affidavit, Doubek, who had reportedly struggled with substance abuse, had been growing increasingly paranoid that his wife was having an affair, and because of his behavior, Gardner had considered divorcing him. 2022 Anchorage Daily News. Born in Montana but raised in Alaska, Duke married, raised three children and worked jobs including as a teacher's aide. Months before the alleged hit . 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. The death on Tuesday night triggered a lockdown of the 3,400-passenger ship. According to police, the arrest came. [9] A box of Salem matches were found in a pocket of her jacket, indicating she may have been a smoker. Federal authorities allege Brehmer produced sexually explicit videos involving a minor and sent them to Schilmiller. Thim declined to say anything about the other investigation, or whether Smith is a suspect in other crimes. Passengers describe learning woman died aboard Alaska cruise ship 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. In court Wednesday, Smith appeared in handcuffs, wearing a yellow jail jumpsuit. All rights reserved. What science tells us about the afterlife. 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. Thursday evening Live Doppler 13 forecast - Feb. 9, 2023. The public defender representing Walters was juggling 200 cases and resigned due to mental exhaustion a week before the trial was to begin in July, according to the order. The majority of victims were killed by someone they knew. When a composite sketch of the man suspected in the death of TreyveonThompson was released, more than 190 people called in tips, McKinnon said. Anchorage police identified thesecond victim as Veronica Abouchuk. An employee at the city of Mountain Village said the city currently has no police officer and that no officials were available to comment on the case. "In the fog and the white light, I saw him walking down the alley," Marcy said. 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. Mar 6th 600p DARLA Recently retired newly weds embark on their third tropical cruise in less than year. Press Release - Anchorage Man Sentenced to Ninty-Nine Years - Alaska Smith was taken into custody on an arrest warrant for first-degree murder Tuesday afternoon at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, police said in an online release announcing the arrest Wednesday. On Thursday, a grand jury indicted Smith onmurder and evidence tampering charges in Abouchuk's death. Witness memories fade, Skidmore said. While the agencys inflation-adjusted spending has doubled in the past 30 years, its felony caseload has tripled, it says. All rights reserved. He isnow charged with murder. Contact her at mtheriault@adn.com. Man accused of killing 23-year-old daughter in Anchorage charged with According to the affidavit, the couple had separate bedrooms. "No More Silence": Her Kidnapping, Sexual Assault and Murder Stunned a The victim was Robert Pfeil, a 55-year-old senior pilot for Alaska Airlines, who was shot from another car as he drove from work on Oct. 12, 1985. MacDonalds order and decision are part of the ongoing effort to hold a criminal trial in Fairbanks for Walters, who was 34 when troopers arrested him Oct. 5, 2017, in Mountain Village on charges of murder, assault and evidence tampering. ", "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. Online court records did not list an attorney for Schilmiller. She was aged between 16 and 25 at the time of her death, and her body was discovered several months after her murder. Police said they will release the name of the deceased woman once her identity is confirmed and family is notified. 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. 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. Last year, Steiner, who was then the agencys director, warned that his attorneys were at their limit and would have to start refusing to handle new cases without a $1 million boost to their $26 million budget. Market data provided by Factset. But APD isnot ready to close the cases. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. As of Oct. 9, police said they were still working with the state medical examiner to determine her identity and contact her next of kin. In January 2013, an associate professor wrote a letter of recommendation for Ritchie, who was apparently applying for an internship. (Loren Holmes/Anchorage Daily News via AP) Author: The Associated Press Published: 10:58 PM EDT August 9, 2019 Updated: 3:40 AM EDT August 12, 2019 ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP . 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. The organization had previously released a digital reconstruction, and a clay bust of Eklutna Annie had also been created in the past. Could a bigger prize and more races boost interest? After human remains were found along a highway just south of Anchorage two days after the memory card was found, police were able to start putting pieces together. But the 2016 toll also reflects one extraordinary factor:a potential serial killer apparently targeting strangers. 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. An ongoing Daily News and ProPublica investigation has found that one in three Alaska communities has no local law enforcement of any kind. 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. Skidmore said the number of prosecutors is rebounding following a reduction years earlier and now includes more than 120 attorneys. Prosecutors: Anchorage cold case murder started with gunfire, ended in [9][12] She stood between 4 ft 11 in and 5 ft 3 in, and her hair color ranged from light brown to strawberry-blond. Man arrested for murder after SD card with video of crime found on street. Last week, 23-year-old Darla Velador of Anchorage was stabbed to death. Officers arrested Brian Steven Smith, 48, Tuesday afternoon, an Anchorage Police Department statement said. They are unwilling to share details of crimes in which charges have not been filed. "Is it a greater population? Other witnesses described seeing a bloody man threatening to jump off the ship. Of the34 homicides in 2016, all but three are considered solved, with police identifying at least a main suspect, according to Sgt. She has not been identified. Or are people just angrier?" The final images on the card show the womans body face down in the bed of a pickup, and were time-stamped Sept. 6. 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. 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. It appeared that Smith recorded them himself, according to the affidavit. CLICK TO VISIT THE ALL-NEW FOXBUSINESS.COM. Theres a new fight over Bering Sea black cod. [14], In 1984, Robert Hansen admitted that he was responsible for the victim's death. An Indiana man is accused of " catfishing " an Alaska teenager and convincing her to murder her supposed best friend for $9 million with the help of four others. 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. 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. Anchorage police identified the second victim as Veronica Abouchuk. Police do not believe Ritchie was involved with any otherunsolved slayingsin 2016. 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. Police have not yet pointed to any known motive in the cases where Ritchie is identified as a suspect. He stepped out of the car and said goodbye to his mom and Marcy. 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. The three cases police still considerunsolved are the deaths of Marcus Cosby Jr., 24, Elijah Zeller, 18, and Ian Bobich, 29. McIntosh, who is being tried as an adult in the case, was the gunman, prosecutors say. Smith is originally from South Africa. MacDonalds ruling addresses some of the most urgent problems facing Alaskas criminal justice system, where policymakers and the public have increasingly turned their focus in recent years. Police detectivesdon't attribute 2016's increase in homicides to any one cause.