Tag Archives: Alaska

Deadly Affair

February 14, 2024EpisodeAlaska, Andy Teuber, Helicopter Crash, Helicopter Crash in Alaska, Mystery Podcast, Robin Barefieldmurder-in-the-last-frontier

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This story has all the elements of a Greek tragedy or a Shakespearean play, and it could easily inspire the plot of a movie or a mystery novel. Unfortunately, this is a true drama, and the outcome deprived children of their father and a wife of her new husband. We will never know how this event truly ended. The last few moments aboard the R66 helicopter and the pilot’s mindset will remain a mystery.

Did Andy Teuber’s helicopter crash into the Gulf of Alaska because he purposely flew it into the ocean, sparing his family and himself the embarrassment of a tawdry, drawn-out court case that could land him in prison? Or was Teuber distracted and perhaps taking chances he wouldn’t usually take because he was rushing to get home to his family in Kodiak before the news media broke the story about his messy affair? Some people believe the Anchorage Daily News, the largest newspaper in Alaska, bears a portion of the blame for Teuber’s tragic death. If the paper hadn’t rushed to print a story about Teuber before carefully fact-checking it, perhaps Andy Teuber would still be alive.

Sources

Downing, Suzanne. “‘He said, she said’: Was this a case of journalistic murder?” March 3, 2021. Must Read Alaska.

Hopkins, Kyle and Boots, Michelle T. “ANTHC boss resigned after employee accused him of ‘unrelenting’ abuse.” March 2, 2021. Anchorage Daily News.

Herz, Nathaniel. “Alaska’s top tribal health executive, Andy Teuber, has resigned. February 23, 2021. Alaska Public Media – Anchorage.

Hollander, Zac. “Alaska health executive’s helicopter crashed during flight to reach family before report on allegations of sexual misconduct, pilot tells NTSB.” March 23, 2021. Anchorage Daily News.

Hollander, Zac. “Missing Alaska health executive’s ‘death by accident’ verdict leaves questions surrounding helicopter crash.” April 28, 2021. Anchorage Daily News.

Medred, Craig. “Speed kills.” March 24, 2021. Craig Medred News.

Rivera, Daniella. “NTSB: Investigation into missing helicopter might not include examination of wreckage.” March 3, 2021. KTUU.

Simard, Dylan. “Mask burning ceremony held in honor of Andy Teuber.” June 1, 2022. KMXT.

Smith, Valerie. “Never found: the disappearance and presumed death of Alaska’s Andy Teuber and everything that led up to his Robinson R66 crash on March 2, 2021.” September 26, 2022. Writing by Valerie.

Accident Number: ANC21LA020. National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Final Report.

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THE AUDIOBOOK OF MASSACRE AT BEAR CREEK LODGE

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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.

Subscribe to Robin’s free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska.
Join her on:
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Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com
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

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The Most Dangerous Jobs

July 5, 2023EpisodeAlaska, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Rescue, Commercial Fishing in Alaska, La Conte, Murder and Mystery in Alaska, Robin Barefieldmurder-in-the-last-frontier

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Working as a crew person on a fishing boat on the high seas or as part of a Coast Guard search and rescue helicopter crew rank as two of the most challenging and dangerous jobs in the world. When the fishing vessel La Conte began to sink in eighty-mile-per-hour (128.7 km/h) winds, the terrified crew had to jump into sixty-foot (18.3 m) seas in the middle of the night. Meanwhile, a Coast Guard chopper crew in Sitka was deployed to search for the source of a distress call from a satellite beacon. The driving hail and fierce winds battered and bounced the helicopter around the sky while its occupants searched the dark ocean for the source of the EPIRB signal. The pilot dropped down as close to the sea as he dared, and he knew that a rogue wave could bury the chopper at any moment. What the crew of the helicopter saw stunned them. Four men fought to stay afloat in massive seas. Rescuing them seemed like an impossible task.

Sources:

Lewan, Todd. “Helicopter crew braves vicious storm.” “Storm Gods and Heroes.” 12-28-1998. Anchorage Daily News.

Lewan, Todd. “Rescue in a raging sea.” “Storm Gods and Heroes.” 12-27-1998. Anchorage Daily News.

Lewan, Todd. “Rescue in sight, just out of reach.” “Storm Gods and Heroes.” 12-29-1998. Anchorage Daily News.

Lewan, Todd. “’Survivor in the basket.’” “Storm Gods and Heroes.” 12-30-1998. Anchorage Daily News.

Lewan, Todd. “Wrenching rescue; puzzle solved.” “Storm Gods and Heroes.” 12-31-1998. Anchorage Daily News.

Walker, Spike. Coming Back Alive. 2001. New York: St. Martins Griffin.

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Feedspot Ranks Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier at #22 in its list of Murder and Mystery Podcasts! Check it out.

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Now Available

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Karluk Bones Audiobook Narrated by Beth Chaplin

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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

Mystery Swirls Around the Disappearance of Vladimir Kostenko

January 18, 2022EpisodeAlaska, Alaska Mystery, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Robin Barefield, Vladimir Kostenkomurder-in-the-last-frontier

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Friends and family describe Vladimir Petrovich Kostenko as a seeker, a man searching for the meaning of life and hoping to find his place and purpose in the universe. Alaska, with its raw, untamed wilderness, is a place popular for “seekers” trying to find themselves, calm their minds, and even attain spiritual enlightenment. Unfortunately, though, many of these dreamers have no idea how to survive in the harsh environment of the northern wilderness. Alaska is often breathtaking, beautiful, and peaceful, but it can also be a fierce monster waiting for you to make a fatal mistake. Chris McCandless either starved to death or ate something poisonous during his quest for enlightenment, and Timothy Treadwell felt he was “at one” with the bears until one killed him and ate him. The Alaska environment

demands respect from those who travel there, and if you neglect to respect the wilderness, you will be lucky to survive. Was Vladimir Kostenko an ill-prepared “seeker,” or did something more sinister happen to him?

Sources:

Vladimir Petrovich Kostenko. The Charley Project. http://Charleyproject.org/case/Vladimir-petrovich-kostenko

Washington man missing after spiritual quest to Alaska’s Hatcher Pass. 10/19/2019. Pacific Northwest https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2019/10/washington-man-missing-after-spiritual-quest-to-alaskas-hatcher-pass.html

Medred, Craig. 10/19/2019. Gone Guy. Craig Medred. A Home for Readers and Thinkers. https://craigmedred.news/2019/10/19/gone-guy-2/

Medred, Craig. 10/21/2019. $60 Million Man. Craig Medred. A Home for Readers and Thinkers. https://craigmedred.news/2019/10/21/60-million-man/

Wasilla Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Scheme to Defraud Alaska Consumers. 8/15/2019. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ak/pr/wasilla-man-sentenced-federal-prison-scheme-defraud-alaska-consumers

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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 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!

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

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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

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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 Wreck of the SS Princess Sophia – The Unknown Titanic of the West Coast

June 14, 2021EpisodeAlaska, Alaska Gold Rush, Canadian Shipwrecks, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Princess Sophia, Robin Barefield, Shipwrecks in Alaskamurder-in-the-last-frontier

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The deadliest marine disaster on the west coast of North America occurred in Lynn Canal on October 24, 1918, but few people have ever heard of it. Approximately 345 people died when the SS Princess Sophia slid off Vanderbilt Reef and sank. Did the captain’s recklessness cause the disaster, and did his poor decision-making doom the passengers and crew of the Princess Sophia?

Sources:

SS Princess Sophia Expedition. Available at: http://www.princesssophia.org/history

Sullivan, Toby. 12/12/2018. The Sinking of the Princess Sophia. Kodiak Daily Mirror

Princess Sophia. Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Princess_Sophia

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

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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

NEW BOOK RELEASE

Watch the trailer to learn more about this non-fiction wildlife book.

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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 Horrible Misdeeds of Papa Pilgrim

May 16, 2020EpisodeAlaska, McCarthy Alaska, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Papa Pilgrim, Pilgrim Family, Robert Hale, Robin Barefield, True Crime in Alaskamurder-in-the-last-frontier

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Alaska’s slogan is “The Last Frontier,” and to some people, this means Alaska is the wild west, a place with less law and order, and someplace they can live as they choose. The man who called himself Papa Pilgrim believed moving his family to the wilderness of Alaska offered him the opportunity to do anything he wanted. Papa Pilgrim was the worst kind of a 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 of Papa Pilgrim, and this was the side his family saw all too often.

No one knew of the horrors the Pilgrim family endured at the hands of their father, high on the mountain above McCarthy Alaska.

Sources

Pilgrim’s Wilderness: A True Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska Frontier. Kizzia, Tom. 6-16-2013. Crown Publisher
https://www.amazon.com/Tom-Kizzia-Pilgrims-Wilderness-Frontier/dp/B00HTJZ38E/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Papa+Pilgrim&qid=1589405614&s=books&sr=1-1

Papa Pilgrim’s Progress: The Dark Tale of an Alaskan Frontiersman. Kirby, Mark. 11/19/2008. Outside Magazine.
https://www.outsideonline.com/1928141/papa-pilgrims-progress-dark-tale-alaskan-frontiersman#close
Hale clan details abuse at the hand of their father, ‘Papa Pilgrim’. Kizzia, Tom. 7-1-2016. Anchorage Daily News.
https://www.adn.com/projects/article/hale-clan-details-abuse-hand-their-father-papa-pilgrim/2013/07/12/
Robert Allen Hale. Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Allen_Hale

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Would you like to help 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

I am celebrating the grand opening of the Last Frontier Club until the end of June. The names of everyone who joins before then will be placed in a drawing to win Last Frontier Club merchandise, autographed copies of my books, handmade glass jewelry, and more.

Follow the link and join the club now!
Become a Patron!

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Subscribe to my free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter.

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Visit my website at http://robinbarefield.com

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.

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Double Murder at a Kodiak Fish Site

April 5, 2020EpisodeAlaska, Kodiak Alaska, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Murder Podcast, Robin Barefield, True Crime Podcastmurder-in-the-last-frontier

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During the summer of 1988, I remember the whispers spreading across the island, first about two missing brothers who were fishermen in Uganik Bay, and later, about the mother of those two men discovering their bodies buried in a shallow grave near their fish site. It was the first double homicide in recorded history on Kodiak Island. Uganik Bay, where the murders occurred, is only 30 air miles from where I live, but it’s fifty miles by boat, a world away on Kodiak Island.

Forty-four fishermen died at sea near Kodiak, Alaska in 1988; it is the deadliest fishing year on record. 1988 was also the year fishermen earned $2.40 per pound for sockeye salmon; the highest price ever paid for sockeyes 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.
http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/community/article_37f0be0c-485a-11e6-a26e-6ba696185b1e.html

Shepard v. State (2/19/93) ap-1283
http://touchngo.com/ap/html/ap-1283.htm

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Would you like to help 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
Follow the link and join the club now!
Become a Patron!

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Subscribe to my free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter.

Join me on:
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Instagram

Twitter

Visit my website at http://robinbarefield.com

I am excited to have my novel, Karluk Bones included in the Battle of the Books. Enter the Battle of the Books, and you could win a win a $500 Amazon Gift Card!

Bizarre Murder of a Floatplane Pilot

September 29, 2019EpisodeAlaska, Duryea, Murder in Alaska, Murder of a Bush Plane Pilot, Robert Feather murder, Robin Barefieldmurder-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. Every year, small plane crashes make the news in Alaska, and sadly, I have known too many pilots who have been injured or killed in crashes. Pilots know their jobs can be dangerous, and commercial pilots are sometimes pressured by their passengers or bosses to fly in marginal weather conditions. The weather might be beautiful in the morning when the pilot leaves base, but he knows conditions can change quickly and weather patterns often vary from one mountain pass to the next. 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?

I imagine when pilot Robert Feather headed to work at JayHawk Air on the morning of May 15th, 1993, he did not consider he might be murdered by one of his passengers. Maybe he worried about weather conditions or perhaps he was concerned about a strange noise he heard in the plane’s engine the previous day, but murder would not have crossed his mind. Later that afternoon, when a passenger fired a single shot at him, Robert Feather did not have time to think about anything. Within seconds, bullet fragments hit him in the head and killed him.

Sources:

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART MOTION FOR CROSS SUMMARY JUDGMENT. Available at: https://www.acluak.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/duryea_v._alaska_decision.pdf

Duryea v. State November 17, 1999, WILLIAM E. DURYEA, APPELLANT, v. STATE OF ALASKA, APPELLEE. Available at: http://ak.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.19991117_0042378.AK.htm/qx

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Congressmen Hale Boggs and Nick Begich Disappear in Alaska

September 1, 2019EpisodeAirplane crashes, Airplanes in Alaska, Alaska, Congressmen Hale Boggs and Nick Begich Disappear in Alaska, Hale Boggs, Nick Begich, Robin Barefieldmurder-in-the-last-frontier

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On October 16th, 1972, a Cessna 310 with the tail number N1812H operated by Pan Alaska Airways disappeared somewhere between Anchorage and Juneau, Alaska. The plane was piloted by Don Jonz, 38, the chief pilot for Pan Alaska. Jonz was a military veteran with more than 17,000 hours of flight time. The passengers on the plane were Alaska Congressman Nick Begich, 40, his aide Russell Brown, 37, and Louisiana Congressman Hale Boggs, 58, the U.S. House of Representatives Majority Leader. The three men were planning to attend an election rally for Begich in Juneau.

Was the disappearance due to an accident or something far more sinister?

References include:

Forty years ago yesterday, Hale Boggs, a powerful Democratic congressman with a colorful past, disappeared in a small plane over Alaska

New Details Uncovered in 1972 Disappearance of Congressman Hale Boggs

Hale Boggs’ Plane Vanishes in Alaska: Oct. 16, 1972

Author Writes About Disappearance of Plane Carrying Hale Boggs 43 Years Ago Over Alaska

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

The North Pole Murders

August 18, 2019EpisodeAlaska, Fairbanks Serial Killer, Murder in Alaska, North Pole Serial Killer, Robin Barefield, Thomas Richard Bundaymurder-in-the-last-frontier

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After a string of closely spaced murders of young women near Fairbanks in the late 1970s and early 80s, the abductions and murders stopped. Troopers didn’t believe the vicious killer had suddenly quit murdering young women, but they thought the predator had moved somewhere else. Unfortunately, at the time, they had no database to track the killer’s movements beyond Alaska. Only the deductive reasoning and hard work of seasoned investigators traced the monster four thousand miles to his new hunting grounds.

The Hunter: Serial Killer Robert Hansen

July 21, 2019EpisodeAlaska, Murder and Mystery in Alaska, Murder in Alaska, Robert Hansen, Robin Barefield, Serial Killermurder-in-the-last-frontier

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Investigators believe Robert Hansen murdered at least thirty women in Alaska between 1971 and 1983. With some of his victims, Hansen brutally raped them and then told them to run while he hunted them down as if they were big game trophies.