Monthly Archives: December 2021

The Murder of John Hartman and the Fairbanks Four



“You’re trying to fill my brain with things I didn’t do.”

Rabinowitz Courthouse, Fairbanks

At 2:45 am on October 11th, 1997, three friends in Fairbanks were heading home from a bar when they discovered the badly beaten body of 15-year-old John Hartman. Someone had kicked the boy’s head so many times that he was unrecognizable. He died the following evening when his parents agreed to take him off life support.

Sources:

O’Donoghue, Brian. 7-12-2014. Vent attorney alleges ‘prosecutorial misconduct. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Fairbanks Four when Charged

O’Donoghue, Brian. 9-28-2014. The Fairbanks four: The elusive hunt for truth. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Boyce, Rod. 8-30-2015. Keeping the public informed – Inside the decision to publish in a divisive case. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Friedman, Sam. 10-6-2015. ‘Fairbanks Four’ trial begins. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Friedman, Sam 11-10-2015. Attorneys for ‘Fairbanks Four’ wrap up case. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Friedman, Sam. 12-18-2015. The four freed. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Fairbanks Four after Release

Buxton, Matt. 12-30-2015. Fairbanks Four announce fundraiser for their attorney whose husband died in Anchorage plane crash. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Friedman, Sam. 12-18-2016. 1 year out: What’s happened since December 17, 2015, when the Fairbanks Four were released? Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Engman, Eric. 6-14-2017. Arlo Olson, key witness in Fairbanks Four trials, dies in reported jail suicide. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

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If you would like to check out one of my novels, visit The Readers and Writers Book Club, where you can read Murder Over Kodiak – Free! While you are there, take a look at some of the other free book serializations by wonderful authors in nearly every genre you can imagine.

Robin Barefield is the author of four Alaska wilderness mystery novels, Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, and Karluk Bones. Sign up to subscribe to her free, monthly newsletter on true murder and mystery in Alaska.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Bethel School Shooting



Before Santa Fe, before Marjory Stoneman Douglas, before Sandy Hook, and even before Columbine, there was Bethel Regional High School in Bethel, Alaska. On February 19, 1997, Evan Ramsey loaded a Mossberg 500 12-gauge shotgun, hid the gun in his pants, and rode the school bus to the Bethel Regional High School, where he attended classes. What happened next would tear apart the small town of Bethel, Alaska, and as with all the school shootings to follow, students and parents would be left asking, “Why?”

Sources:

Evan Ramsey

Evan E. Ramsey. Murderpedia. https://murderpedia.org/male.R/r/ramsey-evan.htm

10-10-2007. Four Wounded in Cleveland School Shooting Rampage. Anderson Cooper 360. CNN. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0710/10/acd.01.html

McBride, Rhonda. 2-22-2017. Twenty years after the Bethel School shooting. Alaska PublicMedia.

Bethel Alaska

https://www.alaskapublic.org/2017/02/22/20-years-after-the-bethel-school-shooting/

Ron Edwards and Josh Palacios

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________

 

If you would like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club.
Each month I will provide one or more of the following to club members.
· An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier 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
· Merchandise or discounts on MMLF merchandise or handmade glass jewelry. Become a Patron!

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Subscribe to my free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska.
Join me on:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
LinkedIn
Visit my website at http://robinbarefield.com
Check out my books at Author Masterminds

___________________________________________________________________________________

Recent Book Release

__________________________________________________________________________________

If you would like to check out one of my novels, visit The Readers and Writers Book Club, where you can read Murder Over Kodiak – Free! While you are there, take a look at some of the other free book serializations by wonderful authors in nearly every genre you can imagine.

Robin Barefield is the author of four Alaska wilderness mystery novels, Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, and Karluk Bones. Sign up to subscribe to her free, monthly newsletter on true murder and mystery in Alaska.