September | 2022 | Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier

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On September 6, 1992, two young hikers from Anchorage arrived at the old Fairbanks city bus #142, a makeshift shelter located on the Stampede Trail, twenty-five miles west of Healy. They immediately noted a stench emanating from the bus. A red leg warmer swung from an alder branch near the vehicle’s rear door. A note taped to the door terrified the hikers. It read:

S.O.S. I NEED YOUR HELP. I AM INJURED, NEAR DEATH, AND TOO WEAK TO HIKE OUT OF HERE. I AM ALL ALONE, THIS IS NO JOKE. IN THE NAME OF GOD, PLEASE REMAIN TO SAVE ME. I AM OUT COLLECTING BERRIES CLOSE BY AND SHALL RETURN THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, CHRIS MCCANDLESS. AUGUST?

Sources:

Krakauer, Jon. 1996. Into the Wild. Anchor Books. New York, New York.

Krakauer, Jon. 9-12-2013. How Chris McCandless Died. The New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/how-chris-mccandless-died

Saverin, Diana. 12-18-2013. The Chris McCandless Obsession Problem. Outside Magazine.https://www.outsideonline.com/1920626/chris-mccandless-obsession-problem

Holland, Eva. 7-29-2019. Another ‘Into the Wild’ Pilgrimage Has Ended in Death. Outside Magazine. https://www.outsideonline.com/2400297/hiker-dies-into-the-wild-bus-chris-mccandless?itm_source=parsely-api

Holland, Eva. 6-28-2020. Alaska Airlifts ‘Into the Wild’ Bus Out of the Wild. Outside Magazine. https://www.outsideonline.com/2415017/alaska-airlifts-wild-bus-out-wild?

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

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Check out her books at Author Masterminds

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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 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!

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

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:35 — 19.8MB) | Embed

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As I’ve mentioned in other episodes, each year, an average of 2,250 people disappear in Alaska, twice the national average. According to the Alaska State Troopers, approximately 1,520 people currently are listed as missing in Alaska. The cases date back to the 1950s. Some of these people vanished on purpose, and others suffered unfortunate accidents. We know a few met with foul play, though. They were alive, well, and happy one moment, and then they suddenly disappeared without a trace.

The two stories I’m covering in this episode describe every parent’s worst nightmare, and in both cases, I can’t help but wonder why more wasn’t done at the time to search for these young women. Since both cases technically remain open, though, the public cannot access

the police files, and perhaps authorities have done a great deal over the years to search for Erin and Jonnie. Maybe with new technology, detectives will solve these cases.

Sources:

Alaska Unsolved. Evan Phillips https://alaskaunsolved.simplecast.com/episodes

Davis, Hank. 6-22-2019. ‘Alaska Unsolved’ podcast revisits 24-year-old cold case. KTUU. https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/DRAFT-Alaska-Unsolved-511551212.html

Erin Marie Gilbert. The Charley Project. http://charleyproject.org/case/erin-marie-gilbert

Hanlon, Tegan. 8-23-2017. She went to a Girdwood festival in 1995, then disappeared. Her family is still seeking answers. Anchorage Daily News. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/2017/08/22/a-long-time-gone-she-went-to-a-girdwood-festival-in-1995-then-disappeared-now-theres-a-reward/

Cavallier, Andrea. 12-24-2019. Sister seeks answers 24 years after Erin Marie Gilbert vanished while on first date at Girdwood Forest Fair in Alaska. Dateline. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/sister-seeks-answers-24-years-after-erin-marie-gilbert-vanished-n1106786

Disappearance of Erin Marie Gilbert. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Erin_Marie_Gilbert

Finding Erin Marie Gilbert. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ErinMarieGilbert/

Jonnie Renee White. The Charley Project. http://charleyproject.org/case/jonnie-renee-white

Jonnie Renee White (16) – Kodiak Alaska. Websleuths. https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/jonnie-renee-white-16-kodiak-ak-1998.59092/

Kadel, Steve. 8-19-2003. Wasilla woman wins lawsuit in daughter’s death. Frontiersman. https://www.frontiersman.com/news/wasilla-woman-wins-lawsuit-in-daughter-s-death/article_e638a0db-02b0-50c7-803d-a16771939eb4.html

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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 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.

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Monthly Archives: September 2022

The Saga of Chris McCandless

Vanished in the Alaska Wilderness