Tag Archives: Fairbanks

How to Become a Widow



 

Someone entered Buck Hofhines’s Fairbanks home on a bitterly cold January night and shot him seven times. His young bride, Verna, discovered his body, and she appeared shocked and confused. She told the Alaska State Troopers that she didn’t know why anyone would want to murder her husband. Authorities immediately suspected her of the crime, but she had a convincing alibi. Verna Hofhines was on stage performing as an exotic dancer when someone brutally murdered her husband, Buck.

This crime and the resulting trial captivated the residents of Fairbanks. The trial included a “Perry Mason moment” and a violent offender who was not finished terrorizing the residents of Alaska.

Sources:

Brennan, Tom. 2005. A Fairbanks Divorce. Pgs. 7-87. Cold Crime. Epicenter Press.

Two Persons held in Hofhines’’ death. 2-24-1972. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Harmonica Player, Dancer Charged With Murder, 2-25-1972. Fairbanks Pioneer All- Alaska Weekly.

State Presents ‘Barebones’ Case in Brutal Hofhines Murder. 3-3-1972. Fairbanks Pioneer All-Alaska Weekly.

Hofhines’ wife held, man freed in murder. 3-3-1972. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

 Preliminary Hearing Held in Hofhines Murder. 3-3-1972. Fairbanks Pioneer All-Alaska Weekly.

‘I wanted to be a widow’ Mrs. Hofhines tells court. 6-15-1972. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

The Hofhines Murder Case – A $5,000 Killing Done on Credit. 6-23-1972. Fairbanks Pioneer All-Alaska Weekly.

Anthony is guilty says jury verdict. 6-17-1972. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Anthony given life term in Hofhines murder case. 7-26-1972. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Go-Go Dancer Gets 20 Yr. Sentence For Murder One. 11-3-1972. Fairbanks Pioneer All-Alaska Weekly.

Anchorage jury finds Anthony guilty of murder. 10-12-1974. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Convicted killer Anthony flees, manhunt underway. 10-14-1974. Fairbanks Daily  News-Miner.

Anthony Convicted, Escapes, Captured, New Charges. 10-18-1974. Fairbanks Pioneer All-Alaska Weekly.

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I am excited to announce the release of my fifth novel —  Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge.

Watch a short video about the novel.

 


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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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.