Tag Archives: True Crime

FTA: Murder at Manley Hot Springs



Manley Hot Springs, located 160 miles west of Fairbanks, marks the end of the road, where civilization meets wilderness, and the boat landing in Manley Hot Springs offers the last portage for fishermen, trappers, and wanderers to launch their boats and travel further up the icy Tanana River. Because the road ends in Manley, residents admit they see their share of drifters and people trying to escape from somewhere or something. When Michael Silka arrived in Manley on Monday, May 13, 1984, folks accepted him as another straggler searching for a new life. They should have been terrified. Michael Silka was about to forever change sleepy Manley Hot Springs.

Sources:

Brenan, Tom. Murder at 40 Below. Chapter 8: “Manley Hot Springs Murders.” 2001. Kenmore, WA: Epicenter Press.

Hall, Jeff. “Michael Alan Silka and the firefight at Manley.” Tactical Life magazine.

Ice Cold Killers. Season 1, episode 5: “Frozen carnage.”

Murderpedia. “Michael Alan Silka.” n.d.

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Karluk Bones Audiobook Narrated by Beth Chaplin

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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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Alaska’s Latest Serial Killer?



Alaska has spawned a long list of serial killers from the gold rush era in the early 1900s to the present day. Is Brian Steven Smith the latest member of this notorious fraternity?

Sources:

Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Defendant in hotel killing indicted on additional charges; FBI ‘actively’ assisting investigation – Court documents filed this

Kathlee Henry

week indicate an active, wide-ranging investigation that may extend beyond Alaska.” October 15, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.

Boots, Michelle Theriault. “Victim’s family members and activists pack court hearing of man accused of killing two Alaska Native women – Veronica Abouchuk’s family members filled the courtroom as Brian Steven Smith pleaded not guilty to her murder.” October 22, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.

Brown, Lee. “Wife of ‘memory card’ murder suspect Brian Smith shocked at his ‘dark’ side.” October 24, 2019. New York Post.

Hollander, Zac. “Anchorage man accused of hotel killing charged in the death of another woman – Brian Steven Smith, 48, now faces murder charges in the deaths of two women.” October 17, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.

Veronica Abouchuk

Hollander, Zac and M.T. Boots. “Videos and photos show brutal attack of woman in Anchorage hotel room by man charged in her death, charges say – A 48-year-old Anchorage man was charged with murder in the death of a woman whose body was found along the Seward Highway south of Anchorage last week.” October 9, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.

Ortiz, Aimee. “Memory card found with brutal videos and photos leads to murder arrest.” October 9, 2019. The New York Times.

Shapiro, Emily. “Memory card found on the street labeled “Homicide’ leads to arrest of alleged killer.” October 11, 2019. ABC News.

Staff Reporter. “Police identify 30-year-old woman as victim in video slaying – Kathleen J. Henry was beaten and killed in a Midtown hotel room last month, police say. Her killer allegedly captured the events in a video.” October 11, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.

Staff Reporter. “What we know about the Anchorage man accused in the brutal hotel-room killing of a woman – Charging documents say Brian Steven Smith shot video as he beat and choked Kathleen Jo Henry.” October 11, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.

Wieber, Aubrey. Anchorage woman whose remains were found earlier this year was slain, troopers say – Family described 27-year-old Shirley Skeek, born in Kake as the youngest of six kids, as a kind, smart and outgoing woman who was in a vulnerable state at the time of her disappearance.” December 30, 2019. Anchorage Daily News.

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Karluk Bones Audiobook Narrated by Beth Chaplin

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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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From the Archives: The Newman Family Murders



The brutal murders in 1987 of a mother and her two daughters terrified the residents of Anchorage. Who would commit such a barbaric act, and would he strike again?

 

Sources:

Barer, Burl. Murder in the Family. 2016. Denver: WildBlue Press.

Brennan, Tom. Murder at 40 Below. Chapter 6: “The Newman family masasacre.” 2001. Kenmore, WA: Epicenter Press.

“Murder in Alaska: The Newman family slaughter.” September 14, 2019. What Lies Beyond.

 

 

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Karluk Bones Audiobook Narrated by Beth Chaplin

_________________________________________________________________________________________

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

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

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! Visit the Store

 

 


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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Karluk Bones Audiobook Narrated by Beth Chaplin

_________________________________________________________________________________________

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

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

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! Visit the Store

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Andrew Dolchok’s Painful Existence



Andrew Dolchok had glaring psychological issues, and he was often violent. Still, judges repeatedly released him from jail until one night when Andrew Dolchok’s demons convinced him to murder his cab driver.

Sources:

1-22-1982. Dolchok v. State. Justia U.S. Law. https://law.justia.com/cases/alaska/supreme-court/1982/3920-0.html

Brennan, Tom. 2005. The Search For Yellow 39. Cold Crime. Epicenter Press.

7-14-1971. Anchorage AP. Daily Sitka Sentinel.

7-15-1971. Search expands for murder suspect. Anchorage Daily Times.

7-21-1971. Andrew Dolchok charged in death of taxi driver. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

7-21-1971. Suspect charged in cab driver’s death. Anchorage Daily News.

7-22-1971. Dolchok is given 10 days for plea. Anchorage Daily Times.

7-28-1971. Bail holds, says judge. Anchorage Daily Times.

Weaver, Howard. 10-6-1972. Dolchok is found guilty of murder. Anchorage Daily News.

10-6-1972. Judge rejects insanity plea, finds man guilty of murder. Anchorage Daily Times.

10-7-1972. Not so crazy. Anchorage Daily Times

11-29-1972. Judge gives life term. Anchorage Daily Times.

1-23-1982. Supreme Court turns down murderer’s second appeal. Anchorage Daily Times.

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Want to learn more about Magic Mind or give it a try? Here’s the link.

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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 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

______________________________________________

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.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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

 

 

 

 

 

 


What Happened to Kristin Snyder?



Keith Raniere

Perhaps you heard about the NXIVM (pronounced Nexium) scandal when the police tracked down and arrested the cult leader, Keith Raniere, in Mexico. Soon, tales of sex trafficking, branding, and child pornography painted Raniere as an evil man. Like me, you probably shook your head and wondered how anyone could get drawn into a cult. From the outside looking in, cults always seem crazy.

I didn’t pay much attention to the news about NXIVM. I didn’t want to read about more evil in our world. Then, a friend sent me a news story about an Alaska woman who disappeared after attending a NXIVM Executive Success Program class in Anchorage. When Kristin Snyder repeatedly blurted out that she was pregnant with Keith Raniere’s child, NXIVM officials dragged her out of the class, and she was never seen again. I suddenly wanted to know what happened to Kristin, more about NXIVM, and why successful, intelligent women flocked to Raniere to be close to him. Raniere is an average-looking man who denigrates women and believes their purpose is to serve him.

This is the story about NXIVM and the disappearance of Kristin Snyder.

Kristin Snyder

Sources

Parlato, Frank. 2021. The Lost Women of NXIVM. Discovery+

McLaughlin, Kelly and Nichole Einbinder. 9-8-2021. How NXIVM, a so-called self-help company, crumbled after former members exposed it as a cult that abused sex slaves. Insider. https://www.insider.com/what-is-nxivm-keith-raniere-explainer-2019-4

Parlato, Frank. 8-9-2017. Was Kristin Snyder murdered? Sources claim Snyder said she was pregnant with Raniere’s child right before disappearing. Frank Report. https://frankreport.com/2017/08/09/was-kristin-snyder-murdered-sources-claim-snyder-said-she-was-pregnant-with-ranieres-child-right-before-disappearing/

Helmar, Leo. 12-28-2020. The curious case of Kristin Snyder: An outsider delves into the rabbit hole of a woman’s disappearance. Frank Report. https://frankreport.com/2020/12/28/the-curious-case-of-kristin-snyder-an-outsider-delves-into-the-rabbit-hole-of-a-womans-disappearance/

Parlato, Frank. 5-14-2020. Following leads of a possible living Kristin Snyder. Frank Report. https://frankreport.com/2020/05/14/following-leads-of-a-possible-living-kristin-snyder/

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!


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 2: Bryan Perotti



In 1994, Kristopher Marcy and his friend, Bryan Perotti, managed the unthinkable when they escaped from Spring Creek Correctional Center in Seward, Alaska. When Marcy and Perotti first escaped, the police warned the public to be on the lookout for the pair. They considered both inmates dangerous, but they believed Bryan Perotti was the most violent of the two. Since Kristopher Marcy was in prison for stabbing a grandmother 26 times and then raping her as she lay dying, I couldn’t imagine a more violent predator and was curious to learn the details of Bryan Perotti’s young life and the crime that sent him to prison for 99 years.

Sources:

Stokes, Elisabeth Fairfield. 2017. Letters to Prison. Pacific Standard. https://psmag.com/social-justice/letters-to-prison

Court of Appeals of Alaska.  2-8-1991. Perotti v. State. https://law.justia.com/cases/alaska/court-of-appeals/1991/a-3314-0.html

Chief Judge Bryner. 12-24-1992. Perotti v. State. Court of Appeals of Alaska. https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/591486e4add7b049344dc8fc

Vanapalli, Viswa. 1-23-2022. Where is Bryan Perotti Now? The Cinemaholic. https://thecinemaholic.com/where-is-byran-perotti-now/

Kalsnes, Lynette. 3-17-1994. Escaped murderers recaptured. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Kalsnes, Lynette. 3-18-1994. Prison assesses escape. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Kizzia, Tom. 3-20-1994. Escape changes feelings about Seward prison. Anchorage Daily News.

The Associated Press. 3-22-1994. Audit cited security problems at Spring Creek. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Kalsnes, Lynette. 3-24-1994. Officials link missing wirecutters to jailbreak. 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, 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.

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For an exciting experience, watch short videos from some of the Author Mastermind authors.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 


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.

 

 

 

 

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

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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

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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