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The judge who sentenced convicted killer Brian Smith in Anchorage last week gave prosecutors exactly what they asked for: a 226-year sentence for the murders of two Alaska Native women.
Smith sat still, with no reaction. But as KNBA’s Rhonda McBride reports, the packed courtroom was charged with emotion.
Warning: This story includes details that might be disturbing for some listeners
Before the sentencing, a group of women dressed in red gathered outside the courthouse. They carried signs that said “Honk for justice” and “We do not feel safe.”
Sarah Wiseman holds a poster with pictures of Veronica Abouchuk and Kathleen Henry, women that were killed by Brian Smith. Wiseman is related to one of Abouchuk’s sisters and says she came to Smith’s sentencing to support her family. (Photo: Rhonda McBride / KNBA)
Sarah Wiseman was one of them.
“I think a lot of us feel it could be us, too. These are our sisters. We have to look out for each other.”
Wiseman is relative of Veronica Abouchuk, one of the women Smith was convicted of killing.
The jury also found him guilty in the death of another woman, Kathleen Jo Henry.
Both were from small western Alaska villages and struggled to survive in Anchorage.
(Photo: Matt Faubion, Alaska Public Media)
Smith told detectives he preyed upon them because they were vulnerable.
Judge Kevin Saxby hopes his unusually long sentence will be a deterrent.
“Some people come to Alaska because it’s an easy place to take advantage of people, people who live on the street.”
Saxby recapped a series of cellphone videos that Smith recorded and narrated. They captured Kathleen Henry’s last moments, as Smith tormented her.
During the trial, only the jury saw the video. At the sentencing, the judge’s description of the footage brought sobs from Veronica Abouchuk’s family. Her daughter, Kristy Grimaldi, told the court that, since the trial, it’s as if a heavy fog has descended over her life, but there are times when she remembers her mother’s full-hearted laughter – and moments, like the other day, when a store clerk gave her two quarters for change. One had her birthdate, and the other, her mother’s.
“It was an insignificant moment that became significant to me. I feel her all around me, watching over me. No one can take that away. This experience has taught me so much and has shown me that true love never dies.”
Just before the sentencing, prosecutors released photos of a woman found on one of Smith cell phones They believe the woman, who appears to be an Alaska Native, could be another victim.
“It was absolutely horrific. That man is a monster.”
D. Matt Duncan was one of the jurors. He says he currently sees a therapist to help him cope with what he saw and heard during the trial. But says it was an honor to serve on the jury and hopes the case opens people’s eyes about a community of men who prey upon defenseless women.
“That needs to change.”
The San Carlos Apache Tribe in Arizona has been devastated by a fire as tribal officials seek disaster assistance.
The tribe declared a state of emergency last week, due to the Watch Fire, which has destroyed more than 2,000 acres.
According to tribal officials, they’ve endured fires before, but this one has been particularly devastating, burning more than a dozen homes to the ground, leaving people homeless, and displacing hundreds of people.
The tribe is accepting donations of basic necessities and monetary donations.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and is suspected to be arson.
California recently announced it has awarded nearly $20 million in grants to 18 tribes in the state to support efforts to address missing and murdered Indigenous people.
The grants focus on work including culturally-based prevention efforts, strengthening response to human trafficking, and improving cooperation and communication on jurisdictional issues between tribal, state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies.
A MMIP grant program, established in 2022, provides competitive grants to California tribal nations.
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