Category Archives: Episode

FTA: What Happened to the Fandel Children?

July 17, 2024EpisodeAlaska Podcast, Amy Fandel, Child Abduction, Fandel Children, Missing Children, Missing Children In Alaska, Missing Podcast, Murder and Mystery in Alaska, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Murder Podcast, Robin Barefield, Scott Fandel, Sex Slavery, Sterling Alaska, True Crime, True Crime in Alaskamurder-in-the-last-frontier

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Most parents can imagine no nightmare worse than the disappearance of a child, but how can a parent possibly cope when both of their children vanish, swallowed by the Alaska wilderness?

Sometime during the late-night hours of Sept. 5 or the early morning hours of Sept. 6, 1978, Scott Fandel, 13, and Amy Fandel, 8, disappeared from their Sterling, Alaska home on the Kenai Peninsula, 136 miles (218.9 km) south of Anchorage. The mystery of what happened to the Fandel children has baffled Alaska State Troopers for over four decades. How can two kids vanish from their home without a trace?

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Robin Barefield is the author of five Alaska wilderness mystery novels, Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, and Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge. She has also written two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. Sign up to subscribe to her free monthly newsletter on true murder and mystery in Alaska.

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Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness.
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A Deadly Cruise

July 3, 2024EpisodeAlaska Cruise, Alaska Podcast, Cruises, Manzanares, Murder and Mystery in Alaska, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Murder on a cruise ship, Murder Podcast, Robin Barefieldmurder-in-the-last-frontier

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If you want to murder someone, consider inviting them on a cruise. With little law enforcement oversight and a fear of negative publicity, cruise ship officials often prefer to look the other way and ignore unpleasantness on one of their vessels. Cruise ship officers have even been accused of covering up murder scenes or pretending missing passengers never existed.

Cruise ships play an essential role in the tourism industry in Alaska. Cruise ships boost the economy of a handful of port towns in the state, and overland excursion packages tied to the cruise lines provide money to many interior regions of Alaska. While cruise ships are not the best way to visit the state’s wild, remote regions, they offer a comfortable, easy way to get a feel for the 49^th state. Many people think cruise ships provide a much safer way to travel, but do they?

When Kenneth and Kristy Manzanares decided to celebrate their eighteenth wedding anniversary with a family cruise to Alaska, they probably looked forward to a relaxing week with their daughters and other family members. Instead, the trip ended in a bloody murder, and by the time the ordeal was over, their daughters had lost both of their parents.

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FTA: Double Murder at a U.S. Coast Guard Base

June 19, 2024EpisodeAlaska Podcast, Alaska True Crime, Kodiak Island, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Murder Podcast, Robin Barefield, True Crime, True Crime Podcast, U.S. Coast Guardmurder-in-the-last-frontier

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The double homicide I describe in this episode occurred on a secure Coast Guard base near the town of Kodiak, Alaska, on Kodiak Island, approximately 60 miles from where I live. This murder happened toward the end of the most brutal winter anyone on Kodiak can remember, and when the police did not quickly apprehend the killer, tempers flared, and citizens carried firearms wherever they went. Our mail plane pilot, reporting the news to us on his weekly stop, compared the residents in town to a powder keg ready to blow. When it was all over, many in law enforcement and the judicial system praised the investigation, but at the time, it seemed as if no one was doing anything to look for and apprehend the killer.

Sources:

Associated Press. “Man arrested in 2012 Alaska Coast Guard base deaths.” November 21, 2015. KOMO News.

Grove, Casey. “Wells convicted, again, of Kodiak Coast Guard double murder.” Alaska Public Media.

Joling, Dan. “Car expert testifies in CG trial.” April 10, 2014. Ketchikan Daily News.

Saint Louis, Julie. “Ninth Circuit orders new trial for man accused of Coast Guard killings.” December 9, 2017. Courthouse News.

Silverman, Adam. “FBI: Coast Guard murder suspect resented co-workers.” February 19, 2013. USA Today.

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, no. 14-30146. United States of America v. James Michael Wells. January 11, 2018

“Wives of murdered tower techs sue the Coast Guard for wrongful death.” August 16, 2016.

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Join me on June 21st for a Book Blanket Beach Summer Solstice Party!! I will be hosting from 4:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. ADT (8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time). I plan to give away prizes, so don’t miss it!

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FTA: The F/V Investor Murders

May 22, 2024EpisodeAlaska Podcast, Alaska True Crime, Cold Crime, Commercial Fishing in Alaska, Craig Alaska, Investor, John Kenneth Peel, Mark Coulthurst, Murder and Mystery in Alaska, Murder Podcast, Mystery Podcast, Robin Barefield, True Crimemurder-in-the-last-frontier

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What happened on a foggy September day in 1982 in the small fishing village of Craig, Alaska? Many believe they know who killed the crew and passengers of the Investor, but only the killer knows why the massacre occurred.

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Greed, Betrayal, and the Murder of Doctor Eric Garcia

May 8, 2024EpisodeAlaska True Crime, Dr. Eric Garcia, Jordan Joplin, Ketchikan, Ketchikan Murder, Murder and Mystery in Alaska, Murder Podcast, Robin Barefield, Trrue Crime Podcast, True Crimemurder-in-the-last-frontier

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By all accounts, Doctor Eric Garcia truly cared for Jordan Joplin, but Joplin considered his relationship with the doctor as a means to an end; or as the

prosecutor put it, Garcia believed he was in a romantic relationship with Joplin, but Joplin considered it transactional. Garcia had money and objects of value, and Joplin wanted it all for himself.

Sources

“Anchorage jury finds Jordan Joplin guilty of murder in Dr. Eric Garcia case.” June 2, 2023. Ketchikan Daily News.

Cole, Shannon. “WA man sentenced to 99 years for murder of Ketchikan doctor.” April 9, 2024. KTUU.

Gremore, Graham. “Sean Cody star Jordan Joplin charged with murdering wealthy Alaskan surgeon.” February 6, 2018. Queerty.

“Ketchikan doctor’s death, home thefts investigated.” April 3, 2017. Anchorage Daily News.

“Washington man held in Ketchikan murder.” July 24, 2017. Anchorage Daily News.

Williams, Tess. “Jury convicts Washington man of murder in 2017 killing of Southeast Alaska surgeon – An Anchorage jury on Thursday found Jordan Joplin guilty on charges of first-and second-degree murder in the death of Dr. Eric Garcia.” June 1, 2023. Anchorage Daily News.

Williams, Tess. “Trial begins for Washington man accused of killing Southeast Alaska surgeon – Prosecutors said Jordan Joplin killed Dr. Eric Garcia and stole hid money and belongings. Defense attorneys said Garcia used morphine to relieve pain and anxiety and the drug killed him.” May 8, 2023. Anchorage Daily News.

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FTA: The Chulitna Charmer

April 24, 2024EpisodeAlaska True Crime, Chulitna Alaska, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Murder in Alaska, Murder Podcast, Mystery Podcast, Paul Stavenjord, Robin Barefield, True Crime Podcastmurder-in-the-last-frontier

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People move to the Alaska wilderness either because they enjoy solitude and crave a subsistence lifestyle or because they wish to escape society. People who fall into this second category are either misfits who don’t know how or don’t want to blend in with others, or they are criminals, seeking to escape arrest and hoping to disappear into the vast wilderness. Many of my episodes have dealt with individuals who ran to Alaska from a life of crime elsewhere. They might have hoped to turn their lives around but instead, most brought their problems and psychopathic tendencies with them.

Until Memorial Day weekend in 1997, Paul Stavenjord seemed to have succeeded at escaping his criminal past, but then something in him snapped, leaving two people dead and forever altering the course of Stavenjord’s life.

Sources:

Brennan, Tom, 2003. Murder at 40 Below. Chapter 7: “The bank robber next door.” 2001. Kenmore, WA: Epicenter Press.

Court of Appeals of Alaska, no. A-7418. Stavenjord v. State. March 28, 2003.

Ice Cold Killers. Season 1, Episode 3: “Mountain man.”

Menerey, Amy. “Convicted murderer’s appeal denied.” April 8, 2003. Mat Su Valley Frontiersman.

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IF YOU ENJOY LISTENING TO YOUR NOVELS, CHECK OUT THE AUDIOBOOK VERSION OF

MASSACRE AT BEAR CREEK LODGE

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Hang by the Neck Until Dead

April 10, 2024EpisodeAlaska Crime and Justice, Alaska History, Alaska Podcast, Alaska Statehood, Alaska True Crime, Capital Punishment, Capital Punishment in Alaska, Death Penalty, Fred Hardy, Murder Podcast, Mystery Podcast, Robin Barefield, Territory of Alaska, True Crimemurder-in-the-last-frontier

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As a state, Alaska has never had the death penalty. It was abolished in 1957, two years before Alaska became the 49^th state in the union. However, from 1869 until 1957, twelve male felons were hanged for murder, robbery, and other crimes. This is the story about the unequal application of the death penalty in Alaska and why capital punishment was abolished in the state.

Sources:

Heaton, John W. Outlaw Tales of Alaska. “Fred Hardy.”2015. Guilford, CT. Rowman & Littlefield.

Green, Melissa S. “A History of the Death Penalty in Alaska.” July 20, 2001. UAA Justice Center Website.

Green, Melissa S. “The Death Penalty in Alaska.” Winter, 2009. Alaska Justice Forum.

Kiffer, Dave. “Abolition of Alaska’s Death Penalty.” October 15, 2005. Sitnews.

Lerman, Averil. “The Trial and Hanging of Nelson Charles.” Spring, 1996. Alaska Justice Forum.

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The Bizarre Murder of a Bush Plane Pilot

March 27, 2024EpisodeAlaska Podcast, Alaska True Crime, Floatplane, Murder and Mystery in Alaska, Murder Podcast, Mystery Podcast, Robert Feather, Robin Barefield, True Crime, William Duryeamurder-in-the-last-frontier

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Anchorage, Alaska, is the small plane capital of the world, and flying in Alaska is a thrilling experience where you can view spectacular scenery and reach remote lakes, rivers, and stretches of wilderness that are inaccessible by road. For the commercial pilots who fly these small planes, though, the job can be stressful at times, and they must depend on their skills and common sense. Commercial pilots in Alaska have a tough job, but near the bottom of a pilot’s list of concerns is the fear he will be murdered on the job. After all, who would want to kill his pilot?

Sources:

“Duryea v. State.” Court of Appeals No. A-6964. Court of Appeals of Alaska. Any Law.

Rinehart, Steve. “Sniper fire kills pilot man who called plane in custody.” May 18, 1983. Anchorage Daily News.

Sullivan, Patty. “Judge sentences killer to 50 years.” January 14, 1998. Anchorage Daily News.

“William Duryea v. State of Alaska, Department of Corrections, and Joseph Schmidt, Commissioner of the Department of Corrections.” July 16, 2012. THE SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE STATE OF ALASKA THIRD JUDICIAL DISTRICT AT PALMER.

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The Disappearance of British Spy Ian Mackintosh

March 13, 2024EpisodeAlaska Podcast, British Spy, Cold War, Espionage, Ian Mackintosh, Murder and Mystery in Alaska, Murder Podcast, Mystery Podcast, Robin Barefieldmurder-in-the-last-frontier

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On the evening of July 7^th, 1979, a plane disappeared near Kodiak Island in fair weather and moderate seas. News agencies in Alaska reported little about the missing plane and its occupants. Although reports of the apparent fatal crash made more of a splash in Great Britain, official sources offered no comment about the loss of a man who had done so much to protect Britain against the USSR during the Cold War. Even now, the disappearance of Ian Mackintosh is cloaked in secrecy, and many wonder if he died in the plane crash or if the accident was a cover story, allowing Mackintosh to disappear. The 2012 book, The Life and Mysterious Death of Ian Mackintosh by Robert G. Folsom explores everything the author could uncover about a brilliant man’s secret life and mysterious disappearance.

Sources

Folsom, Robert G. The Life and Mysterious Death of Ian Mackintosh.2012. Washington, D.C. Potomac Books, Inc.

Mackintosh, Lawrie. “My brother, Ian Mackintosh.” OpsRoom.Org.

MacLeod, Calum. “Did spy writer’s disappearance mirror his fiction?” January 3, 2013. John O’Groat Journal and Caithness Courier.

Ian Mackintosh. Check-Six.Com.

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FTA: The Tanana Tragedy

February 28, 2024EpisodeAlaska Podcast, Alaska State Troopers, Alaska True Crime, Murder and Mystery in Alaska, Murder Podcast, Mystery Podcast, Robin Barefield, Trooper Murders, True Crime, True Crime Podcastmurder-in-the-last-frontier

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You might be familiar with the recent National Geographic documentary series, Alaska State Troopers. The show followed several troopers from different areas of the state as they made their daily rounds. Two of the troopers featured on the show were Sergeant Patrick “Scott” Johnson and Gabriel “Gabe” Rich. Both men worked out of the Alaska State Troopers’ Fairbanks Rural Service Unit. A camera crew was not with the men on the fateful day of May 1^st, 2014.

Sources

Chomicz, Dorothy. “Kangas found guilty of evidence tampering in Alaska State Trooper deaths.” April 23, 2015. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Chomicz, Dorothy. Arvin Kangas sentenced in case related to Alaska StateTrooper killings.” September 3, 2015. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Chomicz, Dorothy. “Courtroom tenses as Nathanial Kangas murder trial gets underway.” May 9, 2016. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Chomicz, Dorothy. “Pilot describes scene in Tanana minutes after troopers killed.” May 10, 2016. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Edge, Josh. “Man convicted in Tanana trooper killings sentenced to 203 years in prison.” November 3, 2016. Alaska Public Media.

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