An Anchorage man has been convicted of second-degree murder for stabbing his uncle to death last year.

On Aug. 6, 2014, Anchorage police were called to a residence on North Park Street for a report of a stabbing. When they arrived, they found the defendant, 39-year-old Ralph Nayokpuk, sitting outside on the phone with the 911 dispatcher.

Officers noted blood on his hands and pants, and Nayokpuk told an officer, “I’m so sorry that I did this, I hope he’s OK.” They found his uncle, Ronald Mullins, on the ground outside the residence with multiple stab wounds. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Nayokpuk reportedly made several “spontaneous” comments, like, “I did not think I hurt him that bad, but evidently I did,” and “Oh my God, I hope I did not kill my uncle.” He later admitted to stabbing his uncle during an argument inside. He said he did not know how many times he had stabbed Mullins.

Mullins’ girlfriend, referred to as E. Costa in court documents, was upstairs with Mullins before the stabbing. She said they heard Nayokpuk come home and “begin throwing things around the house downstairs,” court records show. They went downstairs and she headed outside. A few moments later, she heard Mullins yell for her and found Nayokpuk over him, stabbing him as he lay on the floor. She said she thinks Mullins was able to get up and go outside.

Mullins’ mother, Alma Mullins, was also at the residence when the stabbing occurred, according to court records, and told police Nayokpuk got mad at his uncle because he told him he was going to call the police. After Nayokpuk stabbed his uncle with a butcher knife two or three times, she was able to stop him from stabbing him further.

Nayokpuk is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2016.

A 27-year-old Anchorage man was sentenced on Friday to serve seven years in prison for threatening police officers with a handgun during a 2014 confrontation that led to an hours-long standoff.

Eric Nebreja pleaded guilty in August of 2015 to four charges in the case — two counts of third-degree assault and a single count each of fourth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence.

The charges stemmed from a confrontation between two Anchorage police officers and Nebreja on Oct. 9, 2014. Nebreja was at the Mountain View Drive Shell gas station when the officers saw his vehicle and recognized it as one that had eluded police earlier that week, according to a statement from the Attorney General’s office.

A witness at the scene said Nebreja was leaving the gas station when he “saw something he didn’t like” and backed up, hitting another vehicle in the parking lot. A police vehicle blocked him from leaving, and Nebreja reportedly fled his vehicle on foot. An officer used a Taser on Nebreja, but he was able to keep going and pointed a gun at the two responding officers, threatening to shoot them or himself.

He fled and broke into an apartment on Flower Street, where he barricaded himself inside, according to the AG’s office. After several hours and tear gas deployment, he was taken into custody and transported to a hospital for treatment of tear gas inhalation and other injuries, police said. They noted he attempted to hide a gun in a box of rice and a gun magazine in the apartment’s refrigerator before his arrest.

During sentencing, Superior Court Judge Jack Smith called each charge the “worst offense,” the AG’s office said. He gave Nebreja the maximum sentence for each assault charge to isolate him from the public for their protection. During the standoff, police evacuated the area and put nearby schools on lockdown.

Anthony Sierra. PHOTO: Anchorage Police Department

ANCHORAGE – The Anchorage Police Department has obtained an arrest warrant for at least one suspect involved in a crime spree in East Anchorage on Friday.

Police said in a statement that a group of three suspects, including 20-year-old Anthony Sierra, were responsible for kidnapping, assault and theft.

On Muldoon Road, the group first picked up a man who owed Sierra money. Once he was inside the vehicle, they physically assaulted him, trapping him inside by engaging the child safety locks on the car door. At one point, police said Sierra pointed a gun at the victim and threatened him with it.

The group then drove with the victim to the area of Turpin Street and Boundary Avenue and picked up another male. They drove a short distance and then attacked the second man, stole some of his belongings and kicked him out of the vehicle, according to police. They drove away with the first victim still inside the vehicle.

The suspects drove to an apartment building on the 2900 block of E. 84th Avenue and forced him to knock on the door of what police called “the target home.” When the residents answered the door, Sierra and one of the other suspects forced their way in and held their original victim and the five residents of the apartment at gunpoint and stole several items.

All three suspects fled the apartment without the original victim, at which point the police were notified, according to a statement from police. Police say none of the residents in the apartment were injured.

Anchorage police obtained a warrant for Sierra’s arrest and filed several charges against him, including one count of kidnapping, six counts of third-degree assault, six counts of first-degree robbery, one count of fourth-degree assault, nine counts of second-degree theft, four counts of third-degree theft and two counts of fourth-degree theft.

Police said they would like to speak with the second victim who was released near Turpin Street and Boundary Avenue. Anyone with information on the suspects or their actions Friday is asked to call police at 786-8900.

A Bethel grand jury indicted a 33-year-old Kipnuk man Thursday in connection with the 2014 death of Walter “Jason” Walter.

Walter was found in Tununak near the clinic on Oct. 2, 2014.

Alaska State Troopers say Ryan Samson was arrested on a first-degree murder charge Saturday.

Samson is being held at the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center. No bail has been set, according to court documents.

An officer with the Anchorage Police Department was taken to the hospital for a fracture to his left eye bone after he was assaulted while on duty.

Late Saturday night, APD was called to the Turnagain area after a report that 51-year-old Amos Charles Lane was intoxicated — thus in violation of his conditions of release on bail.

Officer Ian Fletcher responded and found Lane walking in the area of Nova Circle and Cosmos Drive, according to a release from APD.

Fletcher was able to make contact with Lane and escorted him to his patrol vehicle to interview him, police say.

While attempting to put Lane into the back seat, Lane reached back and swung, hitting Fletcher multiple times in the face, says Anita Shell, spokesperson for APD.

Lane was not handcuffed, Shell said, adding that after he hit the officer, Lane fled the scene on foot toward the airport.

Back-up was not far away, Shell says. Multiple officers from APD and the Airport Police began a search for Lane and were able to locate him on Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport property. Police took him into custody a little after midnight.

Officer Fletcher was released from the hospital early Sunday morning after treatment of a fracture to his left orbital bone.

Police say Lane has been charged with second-degree assault and violating conditions of release, among other charges. He was taken to the Anchorage Jail and was arraigned Sunday afternoon.

The assault of an Anchorage Police officer sparked a conversation on social media, with well wishes being sent to the injured officer. The Anchorage Police Department Employees Association shared a post on Facebook thanking Fletcher for “standing the line to keep our community safe.”

“There’s not many professions where you go to work knowing being assaulted is potentially — it’s in your job description, if you will,” said APDEA President Sgt. Gerard Asselin. “And this really underscores that it does happen, and our guys and girls are out there every day in harm’s way to try and keep the community safe.”

Asselin says, though Fletcher sustained a serious injury, it could’ve been worse.

“Unfortunately, on a national scale, we’ve seen a lot of cases where, assaults on officers like this turn into the suspect taking the officer’s gun and killing them,” he said.

Shell echoed those sentiments, saying that though APD officers encounter suspects resisting arrest — it generally doesn’t result in an officer being taken to the hospital.

“Alcohol most likely fueled this incident,” said Shell. “And so, it’s an unfortunate situation, but we’re glad it didn’t end up any worse than it did.”

Last Updated: Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 4:25 p.m.

A 71-year-old Anchorage woman was arrested and charged in the shooting death of Michael Pinkston, 60, according to a release from APD.

According to charging documents, Rita Pinkston called 911 and told operators that she had just shot her ex-husband, Michael, because she “was tired of his shit.” She also reportedly told police, “I could not take it anymore, and I just snapped.”

Michael Pinkston was shot in the stomach with a .40 round and was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after, according to police.

Charging documents reveal the two had been divorced for several decades, argued frequently and that Michael was her primary caregiver.

Pinkston was arrested at the home where the shooting took place and has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder.

Original Story:

Police are investigating a fatal early morning shooting at the 3200 block of 41st Avenue.

The Anchorage Police Department responded to a report of a shooting at an apartment just before 2 a.m. Tuesday. APD’s Homicide Unit and Crime Scene Team are investigating the shooting.

One man was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. He later died, police say. The victim’s identity won’t be released until next of kin are notified.

A suspect has been taken into custody, according to an APD release.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

A federal jury has found a Hawaii woman guilty of assaulting her 15-month-old daughter on a flight from Alaska.

The jury reached its verdict Tuesday. It began deliberating Monday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Wallenstein alleged Samantha Leialoha Watanabe cursed at her daughter, smacked her in the head, hit her in the face with a stuffed doll and yanked out tufts of her hair.

He said passengers and flight attendants on the May 3 flight believed Watanabe was unnecessarily rough to a generally well-behaved toddler.

Defense attorney Alexander Silvert argued the allegations were fabricated by judgmental passengers who didn’t like how Watanabe looked and dressed her child.

(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

ANCHORAGE — Police are requesting the public’s assistance in locating a man they believe is responsible for robbing “multiple jewelry stores” in the Anchorage area, according to an online release issued Friday morning.

David Paul Nelson, 29, has been charged with second-degree robbery and three counts of second-degree theft. The Anchorage Police Department has issued a warrant for his arrest.

He is described by police as 5-foot-9, 220 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair with glasses.

If you have information about his location, police ask that you call 786-8900 or contact Crime Stoppers at 561-STOP.

Anchorage police are asking for the public’s help locating 39-year-old Xavier Goodson, wanted in connection with a stabbing that occurred in Mountain View early Saturday morning.

At about 3:45 a.m., the Anchorage Police Department responded to an apartment on the 600 block of N. Lane Street.

Goodson’s two roommates told police he returned home “intoxicated and angry,” according to an APD release.

“Goodson went into the kitchen, picked up a knife, and began to stab roommate #1 near the front door of the apartment,” the release says. “The two fell onto the couch where roommate #2 was sitting. The two roommates were able to wrestle the knife away from Goodson.”

When one of the roommates called the police, Goodson fled the apartment on foot. APD’s immediate search efforts for Goodson were unsuccessful.

An arrest warrant has been issued for two felony counts of second-degree assault.

Police say both roommates will be OK. One was transported to the hospital with two non-life-threatening stab wounds to the shoulder.

Anyone with information on Goodson’s whereabouts is asked to call APD at 786-8900. Anonymous tips are accepted through Crime Stoppers at 561-STOP or online at AnchorageCrimeStoppers.com.

A man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his cellmate at the Anchorage Jail.

On Friday afternoon, the Alaska Bureau of Investigation received a report that CPR was in progress on an inmate named Mark Canul at the jail. Canul, 53, “had been found unresponsive inside a cell by a Correctional Officer during a routine security check,” according to an Alaska State Troopers dispatch.

Canul was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased, AST says, adding that next of kin has been notified. Further investigation determined that Canul’s cellmate, 20-year-old James Clinton, assaulted Canul.

AST says an autopsy will be performed by the State Medical Examiner’s Office and an investigation is being conducted into the incident.

A preliminary report from the State Medical Examiners office says a man who died at the Anchorage Jail Friday was the victim of a homicide.

The report says 53-year-old Mark Canul was found unresponsive in his cell on Friday afternoon. An initial autopsy report released by the State Medical Examiner’s Office revealed Canul’s cause of death was strangulation.

“Their office is conducting further testing that may reveal additional details of the death at a later date,” a statement from the Department of Corrections read.

According to the documents the cell was covered in blood. Canul’s cellmate, 20-year-old James Clinton, admitted to the killing.

Clinton told investigators he “snapped” and that he killed Canul because he was “running his mouth.” He also told investigators Canul had stolen his identification.

Clinton was in jail for the charge of trespassing, arrested at the Downtown Bus Accommodation Center on Dec. 7. Canul was arrested on Nov. 22 for causing a disturbance at the Walgreens on Lake Otis Parkway.

According to the Department of Corrections there were no security cameras monitoring the cell they shared.

Clinton now faces a charge of first-degree murder.

Alaska State Troopers are looking for other victims of a man they say pretended to need help with his snowmachine as a ruse to sexually assault at least four women near the village of Kasigluk.

Troopers arrived in the village after receiving a report of a sexual assault on Nov. 28, according to Trooper Nicolas Hayes. He said two victims each reported 19-year-old Nicholas Brink, of Nunapitchuk, sexually assaulted them after tricking them into getting onto his snowmachine and driving them out to a secluded area.

“He was trying to fictitiously get help from them to find a residence,” Hayes said. “While he was doing that, they were nice enough to give him directions and he would ask them to get on his snowmachine… and then he would take them out to the tundra and try to sexually assault them.”

During their initial investigation, a woman came forward claiming to be a victim of Brink’s ploy, dating back to October, according to Hayes. He said they added the third victim’s case to their investigation into Brink, when yet another victim came forward.

“Mr. Brink is from Nunapitchuk, so I went there to work on the investigation around him,” Hayes said.”That’s when another victim…on the 13^th of December, that victim contacted me in the village… and reported what had happened to her.”

Troopers arrested Brink on Dec. 15 at 10:45 a.m. and charged him with first-degree sexual assault, first-degree attempted sexual assault, first-degree kidnapping, two counts of second-degree attempted sexual assault and first-degree burglary.

Brink was taken to the Yukon-Kuskowkim Correctional Center and held there, but bail information was not immediately available.

Troopers believe Brink may have victimized other women in the area, and are encouraging any potential victims or witnesses to contact Trooper Hayes at 907-543-2294.

“We have four victims right now, two different villages that are very easily accessible between the two,” Hayes explained. “With this kind of predatory behavior, we’d like any other victims to come forward and contact me so that we can make sure that they’re heard and make sure they’re taken care of.”

Kasigluk and Nunapitchuk are both located northwest of Bethel in western Alaska.

Evan Fischer

Anchorage Police Department

Twitter

Anchorage police say they have arrested 35-year-old Evan Vance Fischer on multiple charges relating to child pornography and sexual abuse of a minor.

The charges against Fischer include one count of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, six counts of child pornography distribution and three counts of possession of child pornography.

The Anchorage Police Department initiated the case after undercover APD detective Mark Thomas received illicit videos in November portraying sexual abuse of children, “some of whom were infants,” according to a statement from APD.

APD obtained a search warrant for Fischer’s home off of Meadow Street in Anchorage and seized “computers and digital media,” police wrote. APD spokeswoman Jennifer Castro said police are not sure how many pornographic images and videos were collected. The data is being examined by APD’s Cyber Crimes forensic lab.

Castro said at least one of the victims has been identified as a resident of Anchorage, and police believe there may be more local victims, as well as victims who live outside Alaska. Fischer was employed by Frontier Tutoring, according to Castro. Frontier Tutoring provides educational services for students in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley.

A representative for Frontier Tutoring, said Fischer, who has been terminated, was last employed as the executive director and “worked in an instruction and administration” capacity:

“We are aware of the investigation into our former employee Evan Fischer. We are shocked at the situation and are fully cooperating with the Anchorage Police Department. The safety and well-being of our students and their families is always our top priority, and we are in the process of reaching out to our customers and partners. We are proud of the community of educators and families we have brought together as an Alaska-grown business upholding the highest standards of integrity, and we are confident we will all pull together to get through this.”

A more in-depth statement on the company’s website states Fischer was also “potentially engaging in a relationship with a high school student for a period of time during 2013.”

Anyone with information on the case or additional victims is asked to contact APD’s Cyber Crime Unit at 907-786-8500.

A suspicious vehicle report in Wasilla early Wednesday morning led to the arrest of 3 individuals on prostitution charges, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Troopers responded to a reported suspicious vehicle parked on Valley View Dr. just before 2 a.m. Following an on-scene investigation, troopers learned that the driver, Robert Hart, 28, of Palmer, “had exchanged money for sexual conduct at a nearby residence,” troopers wrote in the online release.

Further questioning at the residence confirmed 37-year-old Sherry Lindsey of Wasilla had exchanged sex for money with Hart.

Another male at the residence with Lindsey, 38-year-old Dale Breusch of Wasilla, “had procured Hart for the transaction, and had retained all of the money obtained,” according to troopers.

Breusch was arrested and charged with second-degree sex trafficking, with bail set at $2,500. Both Lindsey and Hart were arrested on prostitution charges and face $500 bail.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates. 

A Fairbanks woman is in critical condition after she was stabbed more than 20 times and left lying outside along a road Tuesday night.

The Fairbanks Police Department was first alerted to the stabbing victim on the 1600 block of Mary Ann Street after receiving a 911 call around 8 p.m., a statement from FPD said.

“Officers arrived on scene to find a female victim lying on the ground along the side of the roadway bleeding heavily,” police wrote, noting a witness had covered her with a blanket.

The victim, identified as 31-year-old Betty Ann Matthews, was unconscious when she was transported to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.

“It was estimated she received 20 or more stabs wounds to multiple parts of her body as a result of the assault,” police said.

Matthews’ family has been notified, police said.

The investigation into possible suspects and a motive for the attack is ongoing. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Fairbanks Detective Scott Adams by calling 459-6552 or emailing him at saadams@ci.fairbanks.ak.us.

Ronald McKnight's stolen vehicle, with license plate JAX474

Alaska State Troopers

The State Medical Examiner’s office has ruled the death of a man found in a Fairbanks residence a homicide, according to an online Alaska State Trooper dispatch.

Ronald McKnight, 57, was found dead in a Roland Road residence at 1:41 p.m. on Dec. 10, according to troopers. His body was then transported to the ME’s office in Anchorage for an autopsy.

Troopers are asking for the public’s help in locating McKnight’s 1992 green Ford truck — license plate number JAX474 — which was stolen from his residence after his death, according to the dispatch.

“The truck is described as having a utility bed with a red truck topper,” troopers wrote. “It has a three inch thick white stripe down the side. It also has numerous small rust spots in various places around the body and bed.”

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the truck is asked to call the Fairbanks trooper post at 907-451-5100.

Last Updated: Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015 at 1:30 p.m.

A Mat-Su man who, according to troopers, hindered the efforts of crews battling the Sockeye Fire in June by not letting them onto his Willow property was arrested Wednesday on child porn charges.

Scott Leitner, 50, of Houston, was arrested around 10 a.m. Wednesday “without incident” after Alaska State Troopers served a warrant at his Phido St. home in Willow, according to an online trooper dispatch

As first reported in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, Leitner was arrested on charges of possession and distribution of child porn. An investigation into Leitner’s online activities was initiated after authorities in Alaska were alerted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in mid-November.

“NCMEC notified the Alaska Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce (ICAC) and the ABI Technical Crimes Unit that a suspect in Houston, AK was distributing images of child pornography across the Google email network,” AST spokesperson Megan Peters wrote in an email Thursday.

According to court documents, more than 190 pornographic images were obtained by investigators.

Leitner was taken to the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility and held on $5,000 bail with a third-party custodian required for release.

Troopers originally made contact with Leitner on June 17 and gave him a warning for “recklessly creating a hazardous condition for firefighters in the area denying them access to his property where an active fire was occurring which was also threatening neighboring properties,” according to an online dispatch posted at the time.

He was subsequently served a misdemeanor citation for disorderly conduct on June 20 after he reportedly continued to prevent firefighters battling the Sockeye Fire from entering his property.

A Kenai man has been indicted for allegedly forging identification documents that “appeared to be issued by federal agencies” like the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency.

A federal grand jury indicted 41-year-old David Wayne Henry with unlawful production of a false identification document.

Henry was found to be in possession of various fraudulent IDs that were from the FBI, CIA, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Marine Corps and and the Department of Veterans Affairs, court document show. Each ID had personal identifying information of other individuals, but showed Henry’s name and photo.

“Creating false identification documents is a serious crime all by itself, but making false law enforcement and official government identifications raises the potential for harm to another level,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin R. Feldis in a statement. “The FBI responded quickly to seize the fake ID cards and will continue to investigate this case.”

Along with the completed IDs, 30 access cards with microchips, 500 access cards without microchips, hologram stickers, notary seals, laminating materials, printers, a laminator and electronic media were seized, according to a statement from the District Attorney’s office.

When he was indicted, Henry was already in state custody in a separate case involving forgery and drug possession. The District Attorney’s office would not comment on whether the two cases were related.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

Jimmy Gojdics

National Geographic

A Fairbanks man charged in a fatal shooting is no longer in custody.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports 44-year-old Major Workman was released Friday after posting 10 percent of a $100,000 appearance bond and a $50,000 cash performance bond.

Workman turned himself in to Alaska State Troopers and was subsequently charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Jimmy Gojdics, an outdoorsman and past character on National Geographic’s reality show “Ultimate Survival Alaska.”

Gojdics was found shot in May near his home in Fox.

Workman’s bail was originally set at $200,000. His attorney argued at the time that he was not a flight risk.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Anchorage Police Department is looking for a woman they say assaulted an off-duty APD officer on Friday night. Four others are facing charges related to the assault.

The officer reportedly saw the suspect, 21-year-old Raelle Roderick (pictured above), shoplifting from a store at the Dimond Center around 9 p.m. When the officer approached Roderick and identified herself as a police officer, Roderick pushed past her and refused to obey her commands, a statement from police said.

The confrontation continued outside, according to police. Roderick allegedly assaulted the officer, causing non life-threatening injuries to her face and head, and fled in a vehicle police described as a silver 2013 Ford Fusion.

Three other women have also been identified as suspects in the case. Alicia Hinzman, 20, and Taylor Roderick, 22, have been charged with obstructing arrest of another and assault on a police officer and were taken to the Anchorage Correctional Complex on a $1,000 bail. Alicia Roderick, 18, was charged with interfering/resisting with an arrest and also taken to the Anchorage Correctional Complex.

A 17-year-old female is also considered a suspect in the case, and police said they have forwarded charges of obstructing/interfering with an arrest and assaulting an officer to the McLaughlin Youth Center.

Anyone with information on the assault is asked to contact police at 786-8900. An anonymous tip can be submitted by calling Anchorage CrimeStoppers at 561-STOP (7867).