Tag Archives: Murder in Alaska

From the Archives: Serial Killer Roberth Hans



Robert Hansen is Alaska’s most notorious serial killer.  Several television shows have portrayed Hansen’s life; numerous books have detailed his horrific deeds; and a 2013 movie, The Frozen Ground, starring John Cusack as Hansen and Nicholas Cage as an Alaska State Trooper, chronicles Hansen’s crimes and dramatizes the police investigation and apprehension of Hansen.

I hesitate to repeat this story, but if my goal for this series is to recount some of the worst crimes in the history of Alaska, I would be remiss not to include those of Robert Hansen.  This story is also important for two other reasons.  First, it showcases the time during the construction and early operation of the trans-Alaska pipeline when thousands of people flocked to the state for jobs, and crime soared.  Second, this case represents the beginning of the change in the criminal justice system in Alaska when investigative techniques, evidence processing, and in particular, dealing with sexual assault crimes and victims moved out of the dark ages and into the present.

 

 

 

 

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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.
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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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Christian Klengenberg –Explorer, Trader, Whaler – Murderer?



Christian Klengenberg greatly impacted Inuit settlements in the Arctic from Nome to central Canada. Many of his descendants are community leaders and active in Canadian politics. However, not all stories about Christian Klengenberg are good. He returned from one fateful voyage with only five of his nine crew members on board, and according to the remaining crewmen, Klengenberg murdered the four who were missing.

 

 

 

 

 

Sources

Harper, Kenn. “Christian Klengenberg, an Arctic enigma.” February 26, 2009. Nunatsiaq News. https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/Christian_Klengenberg_an_Arctic_enigma/

Harper, Kenn. “Christian Klengenberg: The rest of the story.” March 12, 2009. Nunatsiaq News. https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/Christian_Klengenberg_The_rest_of_the_story/

Hunt, William R. Distant Justice. Chapter 12: “Tough Characters.” 1987. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.

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Karluk Bones Audiobook Narrated by Beth Chaplin

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Join the Murder and Mystery in the First Frontier Facebook Group!

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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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Instagram
Twitter
LinkedIn
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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Murder on the Kenai Peninsula



What happened to Harold Enzler and Nancy Bellamy? They were alive and well one minute and gone without a trace the next. Did they pack their things and flee the state? Were they hiding from authorities? Or did someone murder Harold and Nancy and dispose of their bodies in a way so the troopers would never find them?

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Now Available

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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:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
LinkedIn
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

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Merchandise! Visit the Store

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


What Happened to Linda Skeek



Linda Skeek had three beautiful children and an excellent job, but she did not have a good marriage. However, Linda’s relationship with her husband, Thomas, seemed somewhat improved on New Year’s Eve, 2015. They loaded their kids in their new Navigator SUV and drove to downtown Anchorage to see the fireworks. They watched the movie Minions on the Navigator’s DVD player until the New Year’s festivities began. Linda texted with her sisters and posted photos of her family on Facebook. However, not long after midnight and at the beginning of 2016, Linda’s texts and Facebook posts stopped, and no one saw or heard from her again.

Sources:

Boots, Michelle T. “Domestic violence, personal disputes behind many deaths.” January 1,2017. Alaska Dispatch News.

Boots, Michelle T. “The murder suspect says his wife is merely missing. Prosecutors say he bought supplies to clean up the scene.” February 26, 2019. Anchorage Daily News. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/2019/02/27/in-anchorage-a-rare-murder-trial-without-a-body/

McGee, Madeline. “Jury finds Anchorage man not guilty of murder connection with wife’s disappearance.” March 28, 2019. Anchorage Daily News. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/2019/03/28/jury-finds-anchorage-man-not-guilty-of-murder-in-connection-to-wifes-disappearance/

The Charley Project. “Linda Louise Skeek.” n.d. https://charleyproject.org/case/linda-louise-skeek.

Basic Trendy. “Linda Skeek: Went missing, investigation and more. n.d. https://www.basictrendy.com/linda-skeek-went-missing-investigation-and-more/

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Now Available

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Karluk Bones Audiobook Narrated by Beth Chaplin

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Murder and Mystery in the First Frontier Facebook Group!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Listen to a New Podcast from the Members of Author Masterminds

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
LinkedIn
Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com
Check out her books at Author Masterminds

_________

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

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Senseless Murders of Tom and Ann Faccio and Emilia Elliott



 

Winona Fletcher

Tom Faccio heard the knock at the kitchen door. He arose from his seat at the dinner table and peered out a window to see a plump teenager with a cute face looking back at him. He probably wondered what the young girl wanted and opened the door to see if she needed help. It was the worst and last mistake Tom Faccio ever made.

Sources

Brennan, Tom. 2001. The Murderous Cherub, Murder at 40 Below. Epicenter Press. Fairbanks, AK.

Cordell Boyd

Grove, Casey. 4-15-2011. Imprisoned killer wants her case reconsidered. Anchorage Daily News.

Sullivan, Sidney. 4-5-2018. Triple murder culprit of 1985 denied parole. KTUU. Alaska’s News Source. https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/content/news/Verdict-revealed-for-parole-hearing-in-1985-triple-murder-478933853.html

9-13-1987. We Alaskans. Anchorage Daily News.

Weiford, Linda. 12-12-1993. Winona and the Justice Sisters. Anchorage Daily News.

6-10-2011. Winona Fletcher v. State of Alaska. Court of Appeals of Alaska Decision. https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ak-court-of-appeals/1570490.htm

 

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Now Available

______________________________________________

Karluk Bones Audiobook Narrated by Beth Chaplin

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Murder and Mystery in the First Frontier Facebook Group!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Listen to a New Podcast from the Members of Author Masterminds

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
LinkedIn
Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com
Check out her books at Author Masterminds

_________

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

 

 

 

 


The Savage Murder of Cynthia Hoffman



Cynthia Hoffman

I don’t usually do an episode about a case until the case either works through the legal system or it seems unsolvable. I could not ignore this sickening crime, though. There is nothing worse than children killing children, except perhaps when a teenager murders her best friend for thepromise of money.

Sources

Brehmer, Schilmiller, McIntosh, and Leyland all pleaded not guilty. I’ll keep you updated.

Denali Brehmer

Sources:

Farzan, Noori. Chilling Tale of killing, catfishing. The Washington Post. https://digitaledition.chicagotribune.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=019ceeaf-d496-43d1-95e6-70dea767eba9

Burke, Jill. 6-17-2019. Who is accused killer Darin Schilmiller? Former classmates of catfishing ‘millionaire’ – turned – murder suspect talk about disturbing past. Alaska’s News Source. https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/content/news/Who-is-accused-killer-Darin-Schilmiller-Cynthia-Hoffman-murder-suspect-511444111.html

Ortega, Michael. 6-18-2019. Interactive timeline: The murder of Cynthia Hoffman. 650kenai.iheart.com. https://650keni.iheart.com/content/2019-06-18-interactive-timeline-the-murder-of-cynthia-hoffman/

Darin Schilmiller

Downing, Suzanne. 6-18-2019. Accused of thrill killing, Schilmiller, Brehmer now indicted for child porn. https://mustreadalaska.com/accused-thrill-killing-schilmiller-brehmer-indicted-child-porn/

Derysh, Igor. 6-19-2019. Denali Brehmer: 5 Fast facts you need to know. Heavy.com. https://heavy.com/news/2019/06/denali-brehmer/

McGee, Madeline. 8-9-2019. Indiana man accused of plotting Cynthia Hoffman killing pleads not guilty to murder charges. Anchorage Daily News.  https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/2019/08/09/indiana-man-accused-of-plotting-cynthia-hoffman-killing-pleads-not-guilty-to-murder-charges/#:~:text=In%20his%20second%20court%20appearance,the%20murder%20charges%20against%20him.

Now Available

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Karluk Bones Audiobook Narrated by Beth Chaplin

I still have a few promo codes available for this audiobook. If you would like a code, send me an email.

these are available on a first-come-first-serve basis.

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Join the Murder and Mystery in the First Frontier Facebook Group!

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Listen to a New Podcast from the Members of Author Masterminds

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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.

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

_________

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

 

 

 

 

 

 


Incriminating E-Mails: The murder of Genevieve Tetpon



In September 2000, Shelia Toomey, a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News, wrote a front-page story about six unsolved homicides in Anchorage.  The article displayed the photos of the six victims. All were women; five were Native Alaskan, and one was African American.  Nothing connected the victims, and the police did not know if they were looking for one, two, or six murderers.

Serial Killer Joshua Wade eventually admitted that he murdered Della Brown, the last murder victim profiled in Toomey’s article. Investigators believed Wade might have also killed some of the other victims. The police also found the murderer of Cynthia Henry, but the murders of the other four women listed in the article remained unsolved. One of these women was Genevieve Tetpon.

Police initially thought they were on the right path to solving Genevieve’s murder, but they hit a dead end and had nowhere else to turn. Finally, in 2009, a new cold-case detective looked at Genevieve’s file, and what he found turned the case on its head.

Sources:

Fatal Frontier: Evil in Alaska. Season 1. Episode 6. Murder in Winter.

Hopkins, Kyle. 2-4-2011. Suspect arrested in 2000 stabbing death. Available at: https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/article/suspect-arrested-2000-stabbing-death/2011/02/05/

Edge, Josh. 2-4-2011. Alaska Public Media. Man Charged with Nearly 11-Year-Old Murder. Available at: https://www.alaskapublic.org/2011/02/04/man-charged-with-nearly-11-year-old-murder/

Dziemianowicz, Joe. 11-28-2021. Strange Emails Lead To Arrest In Cold Case Murder Of Alaskan Native Woman. Oxygen True Crime. Crime News. Available at: https://www.oxygen.com/fatal-frontier-evil-in-alaska/crime-nesws/how-genevieve-tetpon-cold-case-was-solved

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Now Available

______________________________________________

Karluk Bones Audiobook Narrated by Beth Chaplin

I have 25 promo codes available for this audiobook. If you would like a code, send me an email.

these are available on a first-come-first-serve basis.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Join the Murder and Mystery in the First Frontier Facebook Group!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Listen to a New Podcast from the Members of Author Masterminds

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

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

_________

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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Who Shot Anchorage Police Chief Jack Sturgus?



On a cold February night in 1921, Jack Sturgus, Anchorage’s first police chief, patrolled downtown Anchorage. He strolled past local businessman Oscar Anderson at 9:00 P.M., and they exchanged pleasantries, but what happened over the next few minutes constitutes one of the biggest mysteries in Anchorage history. At 9:30 P.M., night watchman John McNutt discovered Sturgus lying in an alley behind the Anchorage Drug Store and the Liberty Café near Fourth Avenue and E Street. Sturgus was bleeding from a single gunshot wound to the chest. The watchman summoned help, and several men carried Sturgus to the hospital. Sturgus kept mumbling about being cold and needing to be turned over. In the hospital, he complained about the bright lights. He repeatedly called, ‘Oh, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby.” but when asked who shot him, he did not reply. Sturgus died at 10:50 P.M.

 

Who murdered Jack Sturgus? A hard look back into history reveals several possible suspects. Still, authorities never arrested anyone for his murder, and until now, no one has ever answered the question of who shot Jack Sturgus. Recent in-depth research by two Anchorage history buffs brings us as close as we will ever be to knowing what happened between 9:00 P.M. and 9:30 P.M. on February 20, 1921, in a back alley in the newly incorporated city of Anchorage, Alaska.

 

 

Sources:

Koenig, Laura and Goodfellow, Rick. 2-18-21. The Life and Once-Mysterious Death of Anchorage’s First Police Chief. Cook Inlet Historical Society Lecture. Anchorage Museum. https://www.crowdcast.io/e/4592q90u

Reamer, David. Who killed Anchorage’s first police chief? Nearly 100 years later, it’s still a mystery. Anchorage Daily News. https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/2020/01/13/who-killed-anchorages-first-police-chief-nearly-100-years-later-its-still-a-mystery/

Accesswire. 2-19-2021. A Hundred Years Later, Shooter Is Identified in Death of First Anchorage Police Chief. https://apnews.com/press-release/accesswire/alaska-homicide-anchorage-shootings-police-1c3c0a5a199196c0224363f53b0a56c3

1812Blockhouse. 1-13-2021. Richland Roots: The Mysterious Shooting of Jack Sturgis. History and Tourism. https://1812blockhouse.com/history-tourism/richland-roots-the-mysterious-shooting-of-jack-sturges/

Our Haunted Hotel: Where Ghosts Are More than Just Stories. The Historic Anchorage Hotel. https://www/historicanchoragehotel.com/

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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.

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

_________

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Kidnapping and Murder of David Grunwald



David Grunwald

Any murder represents a level of greed, lust, or stupidity abhorrent to most humans, but when a child murders another child, the depravity reaches a new low. It is a sign of a rip in our society’s moral fabric when a teenager thinks murder is the best way to handle a petty fight with his friend. I do not like to read or write stories about kids killing kids, but I also do not feel it is acceptable to look the other way. The problem won’t simply disappear if we ignore it. Two horrible incidents of teen murderers have occurred in Alaska in the last few years, and in this episode, I will profile one of them.

 

 

Sources:

12-7-2016. Docs: Alaska teen was walked into woods, shot execution-style. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/david-grunwald-docs-alaska-teen-was-walked-into-woods-shot-execution-style-suspect/

5-24-2018. The details in the Grunwald killing fell into place one early December day in 2016 – Investigators lured suspects to a Palmer hotel, found the 16-year-old’s body, and arrested the first teen charged with the killing – all in the same day, according to testimony. Anchorage Daily News. https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/news/16C1DF6C34370508?Search_terms

12-27-2018. Deliberations begin in murder trial of second teen charged in Grunwald slaying – Was Dominic Johnson the catalyst that triggered the killing, or was he not even in the car that drove David Grunwald to his death? Anchorage Daily News. https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/news/17090E308AECB8f0?search_terms

Hollander, Zaz. 10-1-2019. Teen on trial for murder of David Grunwald recounts moments leading up to shooting. Anchorage Daily News. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/2019/10/01/teen-on-trial-for-murder-of-david-grunwald-recounts-moments-leading-up-to-his-death/

10-8-2019. Jury delivers 8 guilty verdicts in Alaska teen murder trial. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/e60bbefa195a47129048307f499f8d9c

Hollander, Zaz. 10-9-2019. Third teen convicted of murder in David Grunwald’s 2016 killing. Anchorage Daily News. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/2019/10/08/third-teen-convicted-of-murder-in-david-grunwalds-2016-killing/

Clark, Taylor. 2-5-2020. Fourth suspect in David Grunwald murder case pleads guilty to murder, kidnapping. Alaska’s News Source. https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/content/news/Fourth-suspect-in-David-Grunwald-murder-case-pleads-guilty-to-murder-in-second-degree-567600251.html

Hollander, Zaz. 11-20-2020. First defendant sentenced in Palmer teen’s 2016 murder gets 45 years during emotional live-streamed hearing. Anchorage Daily News. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/2020/11/20/first-defendant-sentenced-in-palmer-teens-2016-murder-gets-45-years-during-emotional-live-streamed-hearing/

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Coming Soon

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.

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

_________

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Maximum Security Part 1: The Brutal Murder of Shirley Koonz



 

Alaska is a dangerous place; many things can kill you here. Vicious predators, extreme temperatures, treacherous terrain, raging rivers, violent storms, and the churning ocean describe a few of the challenges facing humans in the 49th state. Wilderness dangers did not worry Shirley Koonz, though. She’d spent most of her adult life in the Alaska wilderness, and along with her husband, she’d raised her six kids on a one-hundred-and-sixty-acre homestead. Shirley knew how to survive in the Alaska wilderness, but when circumstances forced her to move to Fairbanks, Shirley lost her footing. She didn’t fear wild animals, but she was wary of humans, and unfortunately, her instincts proved correct. Not long after moving into her double-wide trailer on the edge of Fairbanks, a monster entered her home and stabbed her 26 times.

Sources

Homicide probers seek clues in stabbing death. 6-14-1988. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Stabbing death stymies investigators. 6-24-1988. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Capps, Kris. 7-1-1988. Jury indicts man in death of Koonz. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Marcy to stand trial in Koonz murder case.7-2-1988. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Gale, Lin. 7-7-1988. Neighbor linked to Koonz murder. The Pioneer. All-Alaska Weekly.

Capps, Kris. 11-29-1988. State describes its case in Koonz murder trial. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Capps, Kris. 11-30-1988. Evidence in Marcy trial aired. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Capps, Kris. 12-1-1988. Marcy on tape, tells of knifing victim once. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Capps, Kris. 12-2-1988. Marcy offers no defense nor are witnesses called. Fairbanks Daily News Miner.

Capps, Kris. 12-3-1988. Jury convicts Marcy of murdering Koonz. Fairbanks Daily News Miner.

Farneski, Anna. 2-1-1989. Marcy gets 139 years for murder. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Marcy gets life for murder. 2-2-1989. The Pioneer. All Alaska Weekly.

 

 

 

 

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.

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Subscribe to my free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska.
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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, Karluk Bones, and Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge. Sign up to subscribe to her free, monthly newsletter on true murder and mystery in Alaska.

For an exciting experience, watch short videos from some of my fellow Author Mastermind authors. Two of the videos are mine!

Gog and Magog https://youtu.be/bvpfYW85MtA

Gorgon https://youtu.be/PT_h8Ojs8jw

Heart of Abigail https://youtu.be/SoDk94zvVFE

Impossible Crime Series https://youtu.be/cCULH4WMyYA

Ingress https://youtu.be/Wi9ar5yQnq8

Jimmy the Goat https://youtu.be/9LNiSUwiv0E

Karluk Bones https://youtu.be/gV7h1tgxUhY

Kashmir https://youtu.be/lc8ZKvdMwgo

Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge https://youtu.be/gUYxSndRxrk

My Wonderful Life With Diabetes https://youtu.be/tVI4y9WrTtI

One Last Cast https://youtu.be/2wzwWmim-2g

Oracle of Light https://youtu.be/P0COZN923Lo