Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club.
Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members.
· An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is available only for club members.
Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness.
· Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska
Alaska has spawned a long list of serial killers from the gold rush era in the early 1900s to the present day. Is Brian Steven Smith the latest member of this notorious fraternity?
I did an episode on this case several months ago, but a great deal has happened with it since then. Smith’s first two murder cases have moved through the court system, and the police have released information suggesting he has more victims.
Sources
Batts, Amber. “Anchorage police ignored warnings, let Brian Steven Smith keep killing.” August 18, 2024. This is How We Rise.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Anchorage jury sees horrific video evidence of woman’s slaying.” February 13, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Are you guys in a rush?: Smith interrupted police interview to confess to second killing.” February 15, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “As Smith murder trial begins, a new explanation of how digital card showing killing got to police.” February 6, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Daughter of homicide victim testifies in Smith trial.” February 8, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Defendant in hotel killing indicted on additional charges: FBI ‘actively’ assisting investigation – Court documents filed this week indicate an active, wide-ranging investigation that may extend beyond Alaska.” October 15, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Homemade silencers, Clorox and latex gloves: what police found in Brian Smith’s home and truck.” February 21, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “’I have something to show you’: Murder suspect texted Anchorage man in hours after hotel room killing, met him at Hillside park.” February 22, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Judge rules graphic video of killing can’t be shown to Smith trial jurors — yet.” February 9, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Jurors see interrogation video in which Smith admits to dumping body.” February 14, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Jury in Smith trial hears how railroad workers discovered body.” February 16, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriaul. “Family of missing Alaska woman believes she may be Brian Smith’s third victim.” July 28, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Prosecutor says he ‘targeted the most vulnerable, and videos will prove it.’ His defense says the evidence isn’t so clear-cut.” February 7, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Smith found guilty on all charges in double murder trial.” February 22, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Victim’s family members and activists pack court hearing of man accused of killing two Alaska Native women – Veronica Abouchuk’s family members filled the courtroom as Brian Steven Smith pleaded not guilty to her murder.” October 22, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.
Brown, Lee. “Wife of ‘memory card’ murder suspect Brian Smith shocked at his ‘dark’ side.” October 24, 2019. New York Post.
Deliso, Meredith, and Dhanika Pineda, “How a stolen phone led to a murder trial for deaths of 2 Alaska Native women.” February 9, 2024. ABC News.
Hollander, Zac. “Anchorage man accused of hotel killing charged in the death of another woman – Brian Steven Smith, 48, now faces murder charges in the deaths of two women.” October 17, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.
Hollander, Zac and M.T. Boots. “Videos and photos show brutal attack of woman in Anchorage hotel room by man charged in her death, charges say – A 48-year-old Anchorage man was charged with murder in the death of a woman whose body was found along the Seward Highway south of Anchorage last week.” October 9, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.
Kuhn, Jonson. “APD says photos do not prove Alaska Native woman was murdered by Brian Smith.” July 29, 2024. KTUU.
Ortiz, Aimee. “Memory card found with brutal videos and photos leads to murder arrest.” October 9, 2019. The New York Times.
Palsha, Rebecca, “Convicted killer Brian Smith sentenced for double murders.” July 12, 2024. KTUU News.
Shapiro, Emily. “Memory card found on the street labeled ‘Homicide’ leads to arrest of alleged killer.” October 11, 2019. ABC News.
Staff Reporter. “Police identify 30-year-old woman as victim in video slaying – Kathleen J. Henry was beaten and killed in a Midtown hotel room last month, police say. Her killer allegedly captured the events in a video.” October 11, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.
Staff Reporter. “What we know about the Anchorage man accused in the brutal hotel-room killing of a woman – Charging documents say Brian Steven Smith shot video as he beat and choked Kathleen Jo Henry.” October 11, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.
Wieber, Aubrey. “Anchorage woman whose remains were found earlier this year was slain, troopers say – Family described 27-year-old Shirley Skeek, born in Kake as the youngest of six kids, as a kind, smart and outgoing woman who was in a vulnerable state at the time of her disappearance.” December 30, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.
Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club.
Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members.
· An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is available only for club members.
Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness.
· Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska
Alaska’s slogan is the “Last Frontier.” To some people, this means Alaska is the Wild West, a place with less law and order where they can live as they choose. The man who called himself Papa Pilgrim believed moving his family to the wilderness of Alaska would offer him the opportunity to do anything he wanted. Papa Pilgrim was the worst kind of hypocrite because he hid his crimes behind his religious zeal. Like a charismatic cult leader, Pilgrim could appear charming and persuasive in public, but there was another side to him, and this was the side his family saw all too often.
Sources
Harden, Blaine. “A bulldozer runs through it.” September 28, 2003. Washington Post.
Kirby, Mark. “Papa Pilgrim’s progress: The dark tale of an Alaskan frontiersman.” November 19, 2008. Outside magazine.
Kizzia, Tom. Pilgrim’s Wilderness: A True Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska Frontier. 2013. New York: Crown Publisher.
Kizzia, Tom. “Hale clan details abuse at the hand of their father, ‘Papa Pilgrim.’” July 1, 2016. Anchorage Daily News.
Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club.
Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members.
· An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is available only for club members.
Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness.
· Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska
When a shooting at a precious metals and coin shop in Anchorage left three men dead, the two survivors claimed the other one was responsible. It took six years, two trials, and more than one thousand pieces of evidence for a jury to unravel the whodunnit and decide which survivor was a murderer and which was another victim.
Sources
“Anchorage man gets 300-year sentence for 2017 triple murder in gold shop.” May 24, 2024. Anchorage Daily News.
Andrews, Lisa Demer Laurel. “With 35 homicides in 2017, Anchorage set a disturbing record. Why? – Anchorage police say citizens shouldn’t fear for their safety, even with a record number of homicides and the lowest percentage of solved homicides in at least 20 years.” December 31, 2017. Anchorage Daily News.
Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Anchorage isn’t a ghost town yet, But it’s not the same. – In big and small ways, a pandemic has altered what Anchorage feels like to live in, from Coffee to court to riding the bus.” March 19, 2020. Anchorage Daily News.
Clark, Taylor. “Man accused of triple murder in Anchorage gold store starts trial.” February 12, 2020. KTUU.
Harris, David. “’It’s been a long time coming’: Man convicted in second trial for triple murder of friends at precious metals store.” November 7, 2023. Lawandcrime.com.
Klint, Chris. “Anchorage man’s fate again before a jury in Spenard triple homicide. November 2, 2023. Alaska Public Media.
Klint, Chris. “Anthony Pisano sentenced to 300 years in Spenard triple homicide.” May 24, 2024. Alaska Public Media.
“Suspect in killings at Alaska gold shop claims self-defense.” February 13, 2020. apnews.com.
Williams, Tess. “Anchorage jury finds man guilty in gold shop triple murder.” November 7, 2023. Anchorage Daily News.
Williams, Tess. “Anchorage triple homicide witness reenacts shooting during third day of testimony. – Prosecutors say 45-year-old Tony Pisano killed three men at an Anchorage gold shop in 2017.” February 20, 2020. Anchorage Daily News.
Williams, Tess. “Conflicting narratives emerge on first trial over 2017 triple homicide at Spenard gold shop – An attorney for 45-year-old Anthony Pisano said the defendant shot two men in a Spenard gold shop out of self-defense and that the only surviving witness is responsible for third death.” February 12, 2020. Anchorage Daily News.
Williams, Tess. “2nd trial begins in case of triple killing at Anchorage gold shop.” August 23, 2023. Anchorage Daily News.
Williams, Tess. “Spenard triple homicide witness says he thought shooting was ‘horrific accident’ – The only other person who witnessed the shooting at a gold shop described to jurors what happened. The defense disputes his account and says he’s to blame for one of the deaths.” February 13, 2020. Anchorage Daily News.
Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club.
Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members.
· An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is available only for club members.
Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness.
· Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska
Neil Mackay was ruthless in both his personal and business dealings, and associates learned not to cross him. When a car bomb instantly killed his ex-wife, Muriel Pfeil, police knew Mackay had planned her murder, but they could not find enough evidence to charge him with the crime.
Sources:
Associated Press. “Jury acquits Mackay of murder.” February 7, 1988.
Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club.
Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members.
· An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is available only for club members.
Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness.
· Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska
Mt. Iliamna is an active cone-shaped volcano located one hundred and forty miles (225 km) southwest of Anchorage and seventy miles (113 km) northwest of Homer. It is part of the Chigmit Mountains and rises from its base near Cook Inlet to 10,016 feet (3052.9 m), one of the highest peaks in the volcanically active area of the Alaska Peninsula. Ten glaciers radiate from the volcano’s slopes.
Iliamna last erupted in 1867, and observers have occasionally seen smoke wafting from the summit since then. However, it is the weather surrounding the mountain, not the volcanic activity, that makes Iliamna dangerous. Clouds frequently cloak the mountain’s peak, and turbulent winds buffet this mountainous region, creating some of the most hazardous weather on the planet. Coastal fog and rain often create restricted visibility and a low ceiling. For aviators, flying in this area of the state can be challenging, dangerous, and sometimes deadly. Between 1958 and 1977, four mid-sized planes either crashed into Mt. Iliamna or were destroyed by the turbulence near the mountain, killing a total of seventy-nine people.
Sources:
Abbott, Jeanne. “No survivors found at site of plane crash.” September 9, 1977. Anchorage Daily News.
“Clouds, rain hinder search.” February 14, 1977. Anchorage Daily News.
“Ground party will investigate wreck of C-54 at Iliamna.” December 27, 1958. Anchorage Daily News.
“Halt attempted to recover airmen on Mt. Iliamna.” December 29, 1958. Anchorage Daily News.
Liefer, Gregory P. Aviation Mysteries of the North. “Cleared as Filed.” 2011. Anchorage, AK. Publication Consultants.
Liefer, Gregory P. Broken Wings. “Turbulence Over Pedro Bay.” 2014. Anchorage, AK. Publication Consultants.
Liefer, Gregory P. Broken Wings. “An Accumulation of Errors.” 2014. Anchorage, AK. Publication Consultants.
“Mt. Iliamna crash hearing to open today.” November 9, 1977. Anchorage Daily News.
“Mt. Iliamna – Where 15 Alaska airmen died.” December 27, 1958. Anchorage Daily News.
“Pilots, AAI blamed for crash.” May 5, 1978. Anchorage Daily News.
“Plane wreckage is identified as missing C-54.” December 26, 1958. Anchorage Daily News.
Porterfield, Bob. “AAI crash probe opens.” November 10, 1977. Anchorage Daily News.
Porterfield, Bob. “Federal findings show AAI plane’s violation.” October 22, 1977. Anchorage Daily News.
Porterfield, Bob. “Iliamna crash – why?” October 1, 1977. Anchorage Daily News.
“Rescuers held off crash site.” September 8, 1977. Anchorage Daily News.
Weller, Robert. “Controller at fault in air crash?” February 15, 1977. Anchorage Daily News.
Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club.
Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members.
· An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is available only for club members.
Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness.
· Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska
In 1988, forty-four commercial fishermen died at sea near Kodiak, Alaska, making it the deadliest fishing year on record. That year, fishermen also earned $2.40 per pound for sockeye salmon, the highest price ever paid to fishermen for sockeye salmon before or since. Commercial fishing proved lucrative but dangerous in 1988.
Alaska fishermen know their jobs involve risk. They work on the North Pacific, often in big seas and brutal weather, but no fisherman expects to be murdered by his crewman.
Sources:
Sullivan, Toby. 2016. Sea Stories: Missing brothers turn up dead in Uganik. Kodiak Daily Mirror.
If you would like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club.
Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members.
· An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is available only for club members.
Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness.
· Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska
The Greatest High-Seas Rescue in Coast Guard History
Imagine alarm bells startling you from a peaceful sleep aboard a luxury cruise ship at 1:00 a.m. You didn’t take the “abandon ship” drill seriously on your first afternoon on the boat, and now, you struggle to remember what to do in an emergency. You find your life jacket and open the door to your cabin. The passageway smells smoky, and you hear an explosion in the bowels of the large ship. You realize the boat is not moving, and you can’t hear the rumble of the engines. Your concern morphs into panic as you race after the other passengers fleeing their cabins.
The above scenario played out for passengers on the cruise liner Prinsendam in the early morning hours of October 4, 1980.
Sources
Day, Boswell. “The long blue line: Prinsendam – Coast Guard’s ‘Miracle Rescue’ over 40 years ago!” November 24, 2022. Commandant’s Bulletin Magazine.
Hartmeyer, Phil. Seascape Alaska 5: Gulf of Alaska remotely operated vehicle exploration and mapping: Search for Prinsendam.” September 5, 2023. NOAA Ocean Exploration.
McClear, Rich. “35th Anniversary of the Prinsendam, Part 1: The Rescue.” October 21, 2015. KTOO.
McClear, Rich. “35th Anniversary of the Prinsendam, Part 2: The Response.” October 21, 2015. KTOO.
McClear, Rich. “35th Anniversary of the Prinsendam, Part 3: The Reporting.” October 23, 2015. KTOO.
If you would like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club.
Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members.
· An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is available only for club members.
Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness.
· Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska
Most teenagers fight with their parents, and during a heated argument, some kids might even scream, “I hate you” at their mother or father, but such disagreements signal normal growing pains. Few teens order a hit on a parent, simply because the child feels the parent is too strict.
Matricide, the killing of one’s mother, is uncommon, and matricide by a girl under the age of 18 is extremely rare. Of the few cases in recent history where a girl under the age of 18 killed her mother, the offender either had been abused by her mother, or the killer exhibited extremely antisocial behavior. Despite what she told her friends, Rachelle Waterman was neither abused nor antisocial. She appeared to be a normal, high-achieving junior in high school. Rachelle sang in the school choir and played on the volleyball team. Residents of Craig, Alaska adored Rachelle’s mother, Lauri, who was active in her church, worked as a teacher’s aide, and was always the first to volunteer to help with any community function. Rachelle’s father, Carl “Doc” Waterman, was a well-liked, successful real estate agent in Craig.
Fleeman, Michael. 2011. Love You Madly: The True Story of a Small-town Girl, the Young Men She Seduced, and the Murder of her Mother. St. Martin’s True Crime.
What was his name? How old was he? Where did he come from? What happened to him? These are a few of the questions concerning the man known as William Dempsey. Eyewitnesses saw him murder Deputy U.S. Marshal Isaac Evans, and a jury convicted him of killing Marie Lavor, but did he murder others? Was he a young man named William Dempsey, as he claimed, or did he steal the real William Dempsey’s identity? One hundred years later, these questions continue to elude historians.
Sources
Herron, Charles.”Charles E. Herron questions arch-fiend and obtains inside information on Lavor murder.” September 6, 1919. Anchorage Daily Times.
Fair, Clark. “A Nexus of Lives and Lies: The William Dempsey Story – Part 1.” February 3, 2023. Homer News.
Fair, Clark. “A Nexus of Lives and Lies: The William Dempsey Story – Part 2.” March 23, 2023. Homer News.
Fair, Clark. “A Nexus of Lives and Lies: The William Dempsey Story – Part 3.” March 30, 2023. Homer News.
Fair, Clark. “A Nexus of Lives and Lies: The William Dempsey Story – Part 4.” April 6, 2023. Homer News.
Fair, Clark. “A Nexus of Lives and Lies: The William Dempsey Story – Part 5.” April 13, 2023. Homer News.
Fair, Clark. “A Nexus of Lives and Lies: The William Dempsey Story – Part 6.” April 20, 2023. Homer News.
Fair, Clark. “A Nexus of Lives and Lies: The William Dempsey Story – Part 7.” April 27, 2023. Homer News.
Fair, Clark. “A Nexus of Lives and Lies: The William Dempsey Story – Part 9.” May 11, 2023. Homer News.
Heaton, John W. 1915. Ed Krause. “William Dempsey.” Outlaw Tales of Alaska. TwoDot. Guilford, CT.
“Deputy Marshal Evans dies of wounds received at hand of Dempsey – Bandit at large.” September 3, 1919. Anchorage Daily Times.
“Last chapter of Lavor mystery has been told in confession of Wm Dempsey, confessed murderer.” September 6, 1919. Anchorage Daily Times.
“William Dempsey, murderer of Deputy US Marshal Evans is captured this afternoon.” September 4, 1919. Anchorage Daily Times.
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Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing.
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