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On Valentine’s Day 1983, two new, beautiful sister ships, the Americus and the Altair sank in the Bering Sea in calm water while on their way to the king crab grounds near the Pribilof Islands. Fourteen men lost their lives in the worst disaster in the history of U.S. commercial fishing. A massive investigation ensued to determine what happened to the boats and what could be done to make commercial fishing safer. Those lost: The Americus: George Nations Brent Boles Larry Littlefield Rich Awes Victor Bass Jeff Nations Paul Northcutt The Altair: Ronald Beirnes Jeff Martin Lark Breckenridge Troy Gudbranson Randy Harvey Brad Melvin Tony Vienhage Sources: Much of this episode is based on the book Lost At Sea by Patrick Dillon. I’ve read this book three times, and I highly recommend it. Dillon extensively researched the losses of the Americus and Altair. He talked to fishermen, families of those lost, investigators, marine architects, and many other experts and observers. He tells a heart-felt and fact-filled story, not only about the “A” boats but about the commercial fishing industry and the politics of commercial fishing in the early 1980s. There’s so much more in his book than I’ve told you here, and if you’re like me, you won’t be able to put it down once you start reading it. Twenty Years After A-Boat Disasters, Scars Remain in Community. Available at: https://djcoregon.com/news/2003/02/13/twenty-years-after-aboat-disaster-scars-remain-in-fishing-community/ United States Coast Guard Marine Casualty Report. Available at: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/docs/boards/amerialtair.pdf _______________ Is a Serial Killer Stalking Women on Kodiak Island? ___________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you 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 is 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        

The pain of child abuse follows its victims to adulthood. Many seek therapy, but some internalize the pain and then inflict it upon others, continuing the cycle of abuse. Jason Vukovich chose a different path to exorcise the demons inflicted upon him by his adopted father.  Jason consulted the sex offender registry of Alaska and physically assaulted known pedophiles in Anchorage. Jason’s story is not a murder nor a mystery, but it is a true tale about a crime that is far too common and a victim who took the law into his own hands. Sources: If you want to learn more about Jason Vukovich, I suggest listening to “The Alaskan Avenger – Jason Vukovich” on the One Minute Remaining Podcast. Hanlon, Tegan. “Anchorage man charged with attacking sex offenders seeks plea deal – Jason Vukovich, who claims to be an ‘avenging angel,’ proposed an unconventional plea deal in a letter sent from his state prison cell.” September 29, 2016. Anchorage Daily News. Hanlog, Tegan, “Anchorage man who attacked sex offenders hopes his story can be a lesson for others – ‘If you have already lost your youth like me, due to a child abuser, please do not throw away your present and your future by committing acts of violence,’ Jason Vukovich says.” December 30, 2017. Anchorage Daily News. Laurence, Jack. “The Alaskan Avenger – Jason Vukovich”  –  Parts 1 through 6. One Minute Remaining Podcast. Margaritoff, Marco. “Jason Vukovich: The hammer-wielding pedophile-hunter known as the ‘Alaskan Avenger.’” January 17, 2021. All That is Interesting. Matthews, Cheyenne. “Anchorage man who attacked sex offenders loses appeal that PTSD factored into his crimes.”  October 30, 2020. KTUU. “What is an Adverse Childhood Experience, or ACE?” n.d. Childhood Domestic Violence Association. ______________ Who is responsible for murdering eight people in a wilderness lodge? ___________________ ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you 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 is 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                    

The endless supply of larger-than-life characters in Alaska makes the state fertile ground for reality television shows and movies based on true stories. If you made a list of the strong, fascinating individuals in the history of this vast state, though, Joe Vogler would rank near the top. Picture a sharply dressed man, wearing a fedora, a bolo tie, and a plaid flannel shirt while he stands in front of a group of rowdy people and proclaims his controversial opinions in a booming voice. Joe Vogler developed a large following of folks who agreed with his politics, but he also made many enemies. When he disappeared from his remote home, people wondered if an enemy had killed him, or if the murderer was someone who claimed to be his friend and colleague? Sources Brenan, Tom. Cold Crime. 2005. Epicenter Press. Death of a Maverick. Coppock, Michael. “On Joe Vogler, an independent Alaska.”March 14, 2008. Juneau Empire. Ice Cold Killers. Season 2, Episode 6. “Guns, Gold, and Murder.” ______________ Why did a Floatplane Explode Over Kodiak Island? __________________ https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you 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 is 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                    

Why do we romanticize historical outlaws and con artists? It is difficult to write about Wild West outlaws because the myths surrounding them bear little resemblance to the truth. Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith was one of those characters. Smith often donated money to good causes, but he earned that money by cheating and robbing people. When he relocated his criminal enterprise to Skagway, Alaska, during the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897, the citizens soon grew weary of his cons and threats. The animosity led to a confrontation and a shootout, and soon, Jefferson Smith’s life ended, and the legend of Soapy Smith began. Sources Charles River Editors. Soapy Smith: The Life and Legacy of the Wild West’s Most Infamous Con Artist. 2019. Independently Published. History.com Editors. “Conman ‘Soapy Smith’ Killed in Alaska.” November 16, 2009. History. Sauerwein, Stan. Soapy Smith: Skagway’s Scourge of the Klondike. 2005. Alberta, Canada. Altitude Publishing Canada, Ltd. Smith, Jeff, Alias Soapy Smith: The Life and Death of a Scoundrel, 2009, Juneau, Alaska. Klondike Research. Spude, Katherine Holder. “The Fiend in Hell.” Soapy Smith in Legend. 2024. Norman, Oklahoma. The University of Oklahoma Press. _______________ Wishing You a Healthy, Wealthy, Wonderful 2026! ___________ For More Stories of Murder and Mystery ___________________ https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you 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 is 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                    

First named in 1972, the Alaska Triangle stretches from Anchorage in southcentral Alaska to Juneau in the southeast panhandle to Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow) on Alaska’s northern coast. Since 1988, more than 16,000 people have vanished from this area, and every year, approximately four people go missing per every 1000 Alaska residents. This rate is twice the national average. I was surprised when I first learned how many people disappear in Alaska, but I don’t need an underground pyramid or mysterious magnetic vortices to explain the statistics. I also don’t understand the need for a triangle since people disappear throughout the state, not just in the area outlined by a geometric figure’s hypothetical lines. However, I guess a triangle conjures up the aura of the Bermuda Triangle and suggests the possibility of mysterious forces at play. Many disappearances and other mysteries in Alaska have never been solved. Planes vanish, boats disappear, UFO sightings baffle military officers, and in one instance, the population of an entire village fled their homes to escape a giant, hairy, manlike creature. Here are a few of the stories. Sources: Conger, Cristen. Why has part of the Alaska wilderness been called the Bermuda Triangle? How Stuff Works. Gough, Cody. 2019. Thousands of People Have Mysteriously Disappeared in Alaska’s Bermuda Triangle. Discovery.e LeBlanc, Jocelyne. 2018. 10 Facts About the Little-Known Alaska Triangle. Toptenz.net. Liefer, Gregory P. 2011. Chapter Eleven: Without a Trace. Aviation Mysteries of the North. Publication Consultants. Anchorage, AK. Japan Airlines Flight 1628 incident. Wikipedia. The Alaska Triangle – Disappearing Into Thin Air. Legends of America. The Alaska Triangle – courtesy of the Locations Unknown Podcast. 2019. Weiss, Lawrence D. 2019. Unfriendly skies: The extraordinary flight of JAL 1628. Alaska’s best known UFO encounter. __________________ Treat the True Crime Lover on your Christmas List to Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. OR For Murder Mysteries Set in the Wilderness of Kodiak Island, Check Out These Novels. ___________________ Also, All Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier Merchandise in the Store is On Sale! https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] _______________________ Would you 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 is 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  All Merchandise On Sale!              

At Raymond (R.D.) Cheely’s sentencing hearing for the random highway murder of Jeffrey Cain, prosecutor Steve Branchflower said that the shooting delivered a stunning message to Anchorage. “No matter who you are or where you live, or what precautions you take to protect yourselves, you cannot escape violence; you can’t hide.” Branchflower added, “Because we can no longer trust Raymond Cheely to do the right thing, we must make sure he is never again left unwatched.”” Sources Doto, Pamela. “Fugitive nabbed. Gustafson arrested in Hollywood hotel.” April 18, 1992. Anchorage Daily News. Enge, Marilee. “Cheely’s lawyer says evidence scant, wants dismissal.” April 9, 1992. Anchorage Daily News. Enge, Marilee. “Death penalty urged. U.S. says law covers bombing.” May 15, 1992. Anchorage Daily News. Enge, Marilee. “Friend, prosecutors tell different tales of Ryan.” April 22, 1992. Anchorage Daily News. Enge, Marilee. “Letters, tapes reveal young man’s woes.” April 19, 1992. Anchorage Daily News. Enge, Marilee, and Natalie Phillips. “No motive, no suspect yet in bombing. Officials warn people involved in highway-shooting trial to be careful of packages.” September 19, 1992. Anchorage Daily News. Enge, Marilee. “Prosecutors air tapes at bomb hearing. Recordings include defendants’ accounts of motive, work on deadly package.” April 7, 1992. Anchorage Daily News. “Gustafson v. State.” June 18, 1983. Touch N’ Go. “Gustafsons.” Season 1, Episode 1. October 26, 2019. Killer Siblings. Phillips, Natalie. “Broke, tired, hungry Gustafson “relieved” by arrest, Feds say.” April 19, 1992. Anchorage Daily News. Phillips, Natalie. “Cheely guilty in bombing Alaskan. Could get two life terms.” March 14, 1995. Anchorage Daily News. Phillips, Natalie. “Gustafson owns up to killing.” November 27, 1995. Anchorage Daily News. Phillips, Natalie. “Inmates passed notes. Informants testify to Cheely actions.” February 10, 1995. Anchorage Daily News. Phillips, Natalie. “Ryan denies plot role. Cheely friend moved explosives.” March 4, 1995. Anchorage Daily News. Phillips, Natalie. “Sister recounts role as go-between.” February 18, 1995. Anchorage Daily News. Phillips, Natalie. “State wants bomb suit settlement lawyers asked to detail $2.6 million agreement.” May 1, 1996. Anchorage Daily News. Rinehart, Steve. “Mail bomb: 4 charged government says highway killers plotted death from prison  Blast that killed father intended for son: convict’s sister held: brother still at large.” April 2, 1992. Anchorage Daily News. Toomey, Sheila. “Bomber gets life plus 30. Gustafson ineligible for parole.” May 8, 1993. Anchorage Daily News. ________________ Treat the True Crime Lover on your Christmas List to Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. OR For Murder Mysteries Set in the Wilderness of Kodiak Island, Check Out These Novels. ___________________ Also, All Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier Merchandise in the Store is On Sale! https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] _______________________ Would you 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 is 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  All Merchandise On Sale!    

Sitka, Alaska We all know married couples who seem to thrive on discord. These are the people we avoid joining for dinner and the ones in whose presence we squirm as they argue, yell, and threaten. We wonder why they got married, and if they divorce, we’re certain no one else would want either one of them. Still, I’ve met couples who not only manage to survive their contentious relationships but enjoy sparring with their partners. Marriage is hard, but most of us try, at least for a while, to make a relationship work, and if it doesn’t work, we leave and go our separate ways. Jane and Scott Coville constantly fought, even before they moved to Alaska and married, but Jane did not divorce Scott; there was no need to sever ties with him because Scott conveniently disappeared. Did he grow disillusioned with Jane, marriage, and life in Alaska? Did Scott take off on his own for an adventure somewhere else, a place far away from his current responsibilities, or did something much more sinister happen to Scott Coville?                         Sources: James Pietragallo & Jimmie Whisman. 11-22-2017. Small Town Murder Podcast #45. The Hottest Cold Case Around in Sitka, Alaska. https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/small-town-murder/e/52324451?autoplay=true Scott Michael Coville. The Charley Project. http://charleyproject.org/case/scott-michael-coville Grove, Casey. May 31, 2016. Mother in cold case describes years wondering about her son. Anchorage Daily News. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/article/mother-cold-case-describes-years-wondering-about-her-son/2010/11/28/ Jane Reth. Murderpedia. https://murderpedia.org/female.R/r/reth-jane.htm Sitka, Alaska. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitka,_Alaska _______ Take a trip to Shuyak Island _______________________ Join the Readers and Writers Book Club from November 18-25 and Explore the Aurora! A Facebook Event ______________ https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] _______________________ Would you 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 is 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         ______________________________________________________

On March 22, 1990, the Aleutian Enterprise, a one-hundred-and-forty-three-foot factory trawler, rolled over and sank in the Bering Sea. Nine crew members died, and twenty-two others barely escaped. The incident happened because the owners and managers of Arctic Alaska Seafood put profits above safety and the crew’s lives on their processing ships. Their actions – or inactions – were nothing short of murder. ________________ Take a trip to Shuyak Island _______________________ Join the Readers and Writers Book Club from November 18-25 and Explore the Aurora! A Face book Event ______________ https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] _______________________ Would you 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 is 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        

On November 12th, 2015, Peter, the Island Air, mail-plane pilot, landed at Port William Wilderness Lodge on Shuyak Island. The lodge occupies an old cannery, and Peter found this stop memorable because instead of both of the lodge’s caretakers greeting him, as usual, only one caretaker, 44-year-old Steven Ridenour, met the plane. Peter wondered why the other caretaker, Steven McCaulley, 56, also did not arrive to help unload the freight. Since the tide was high, the plane could not pull up to the beach, and Ridenour had to ferry the mail to shore by boat. Without McCaulley there to assist, the job proved difficult and time-consuming. Peter also found it curious that Ridenour simply stacked the freight above the high-tide mark, grabbed his gear, and jumped on the plane for a ride back to Kodiak. Ridenour then flew to Anchorage where he lived. On November 15th, Steven Ridenour called the manager of Port William Wilderness Lodge, told him he’d quit his job, and asked for his past four paychecks. On November 17th, Steven Ridenour’s brother, Don, called the lodge manager and said his brother sent him and other family members Facebook messages stating he killed his fellow caretaker, Steven McCaulley, in self-defense, and he needed money to leave the state. The manager contacted the Alaska State Troopers and requested a welfare check on McCaulley at the lodge. SOURCES: Christiansen, Scott. 3-17-2017. I killed a man on Shuyak who tried to kill me with a chainsaw. Kodiak Daily Mirror. Available at http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/news/article_533bfb52-0abc-11e7-bc83-97c66a534f34.html Christiansen, Scott. 3-15-2017. Shuyak Island killing case goes to trial. Kodiak Daily Mirror. Available at http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/news/article_cc2b2096-0923-11e7-a7e6-7b4185115b1c.html Christiansen Scott. 4-7-2017. Murder defendant’s phone messages point to heavy drinking. Kodiak Daily Mirror. Available at http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/news/article_2f0b2b10-1b3b-11e7-8882-af591c19cbde.html Associated Press. 9-20-2018. Anchorage man sentenced to 62 years in murder of co-worker at lodge near Kodiak. Anchorage Daily News. ______________________________________ Take a trip to Shuyak Island _____________ ___________________ https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] _______________________     ____________________________________________________________ Would you 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 is 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        

On January 23, 1959, ten hikers embarked on a wilderness hiking/skiing expedition into the Ural Mountains in the Eastern Soviet Union. Most of the hikers were students at Sverdlovsk’s Ural Polytechnic Institute (UPI). One of the hikers began to feel ill and left the group early, but when the remaining nine hikers did not return to the Institute by February 20, searchers began looking for them. Their horrific discovery persists as one of the great mysteries of the northern wilderness. ___________ For More Stories of Murder and Mystery ___________________ https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you 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 is 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                

A family moved to a small Alaska village because the parents believed it would be a safe environment where they could raise their children. Then, the unthinkable happened. Eleven-year-old Mandy Lemaire only had to walk a short distance to her girlfriend’s house, but when she didn’t arrive, the entire village began searching for her. ___________________ ___________________ https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you 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 is 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                

A ghost ship is an adrift vessel with no living passengers or crew aboard. Sometimes, we know why the ship was abandoned or what tragedy occurred to the passengers and crew, but other times, we are left to guess what happened aboard the vessel during the last few hours and minutes when the crew inexplicably abandoned the ship or died aboard it. Alaska has many ghostship tales. Here are three of them. Clara Nevada Sources Levi, Steven. The Clara Nevada; Gold, Greed, Murder and Alaska’s Inside Passage. 2011. History Press. De Abreu, Kristine. “The SS Baychimo, 38 years as a ghost ship.” March 28, 2023. Exploration Mysteries. Reamer, David. “The mysterious fate of the Baychimo, the ghost ship that haunted the Arctic for decades.” October 29, 2023. Anchorage Daily News. Snoderly, Joan. “Family searches for memories of a father lost at sea.” August 31, 2017. Kodiak Daily Mirror. Sullivan, Toby. “The Tragedy of the John and Olaf.” January 14, 2016. Kodiak Maritime Museum. John and Olaf _______________ Is a Serial Killer Stalking Women on Kodiak Island?   https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you 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 is 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                  

It took a horrible murder for Alaska to revise its statutes for the criminally insane from some of the most lenient sentencing laws in the country to the strictest laws in the U.S. for the insanity defense. On the night of May 3, 1982, one veteran Anchorage police officer was quoted as saying, “This has got to be one of the grisliest nights I’ve ever seen.” Within an hour, seven people lost their lives. Three died in the Black Bull bar in the Muldoon section of Anchorage, and the other four were shot in Russian Jack Springs Park in East Anchorage. At first, investigators wondered if the two crime scenes were connected, but they soon learned nothing linked the two horrific events. Sources Ice Cold Killers Season Two, Episode One: Blood Red Sun.  Brennan, Tom. 2001. By Reason of Insanity. Murder at 40 Below. Epicenter Press.  Murderpedia, Charles L. Meach III. New York Times (1982), New Law on Insanity Plea Stirs Dispute in Alaska. ____________   IF YOU ENJOY LISTENING TO YOUR NOVELS, CHECK OUT THE AUDIOBOOK VERSION OF MASSACRE AT BEAR CREEK LODGE ________________________________   https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you 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 is 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                  

When a fifty-two-year-old traveling nurse disappeared in Anchorage in 2001, the authorities showed little interest, and the Anchorage Police Department said they did not have available detectives to investigate the case. If the authorities had taken his disappearance more seriously, perhaps we would know the answer to the question: What happened to Thomas Nuzzi? Sources “Missing Person Thomas Anthony Nuzzi.” nd. Alaska State Troopers Department of Public Safety. “Nuzzi, Thomas June 2021.” August 21, 2006. Porchlight International for the Missing & Unidentified. Pesznecker, Katie. “Into thin air.” July 6, 2001. Anchorage Daily News. Pesznecker, Katie. “Missing Bethel nurse walked into a mini-mart, then out of sight.” August 21, 2006. Anchorage Daily News. Pesznecker, Katie. “Mystery woman appears on video. July 31, 2001. Anchorage Daily News. Pesznecker, Katie. “Search for missing man escalates.” June 27, 2001. Anchorage Daily News. Pesznecker, Katie. “Troopers suspend search for man missing in Chugach.” June 28, 2001. Anchorage Daily News. “Thomas Anthony Nuzzi.” nd. The Charley Project. Warder, Robin. “Episode 380: Thomas Nuzzi.” May 22, 2024. The Trail Went Cold. _____________________ _________________________________________________ IF YOU ENJOY LISTENING TO YOUR NOVELS, CHECK OUT THE AUDIOBOOK VERSION OF MASSACRE AT BEAR CREEK LODGE ________________________________   https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 Amazon Send me an email: [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you 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 is 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              

Mt. Iliamna is an active cone-shaped volcano located one hundred and forty miles (225 km) southwest of Anchorage and seventy miles (113 km) northwest of Homer. It is part of the Chigmit Mountains and rises from its base near Cook Inlet to 10,016 feet (3052.9 m), one of the highest peaks in the volcanically active area of the Alaska Peninsula. Ten glaciers radiate from the volcano’s slopes. Iliamna last erupted in 1867, and observers have occasionally seen smoke wafting from the summit since then. However, it is the weather surrounding the mountain, not the volcanic activity, that makes Iliamna dangerous. Clouds frequently cloak the mountain’s peak, and turbulent winds buffet this mountainous region, creating some of the most hazardous weather on the planet. Coastal fog and rain often create restricted visibility and a low ceiling. For aviators, flying in this area of the state can be challenging, dangerous, and sometimes deadly. Between 1958 and 1977, four mid-sized planes either crashed into Mt. Iliamna or were destroyed by the turbulence near the mountain, killing a total of seventy-nine people. Sources: Abbott, Jeanne. “No survivors found at site of plane crash.” September 9, 1977. Anchorage Daily News. “Clouds, rain hinder search.” February 14, 1977. Anchorage Daily News. “Ground party will investigate wreck of C-54 at Iliamna.” December 27, 1958. Anchorage Daily News. “Halt attempted to recover airmen on Mt. Iliamna.” December 29, 1958. Anchorage Daily News. Liefer, Gregory P. Aviation Mysteries of the North. “Cleared as Filed.” 2011. Anchorage, AK. Publication Consultants. Liefer, Gregory P. Broken Wings. “Turbulence Over Pedro Bay.” 2014. Anchorage, AK. Publication Consultants. Liefer, Gregory P. Broken Wings. “An Accumulation of Errors.” 2014. Anchorage, AK. Publication Consultants. “Mt. Iliamna crash hearing to open today.” November 9, 1977. Anchorage Daily News. “Mt. Iliamna – Where 15 Alaska airmen died.” December 27, 1958. Anchorage Daily News. “Pilots, AAI blamed for crash.” May 5, 1978. Anchorage Daily News. “Plane wreckage is identified as missing C-54.” December 26, 1958. Anchorage Daily News. Porterfield, Bob. “AAI crash probe opens.” November 10, 1977. Anchorage Daily News. Porterfield, Bob. “Federal findings show AAI plane’s violation.” October 22, 1977. Anchorage Daily News. Porterfield, Bob. “Iliamna crash – why?” October 1, 1977. Anchorage Daily News. “Rescuers held off crash site.” September 8, 1977. Anchorage Daily News. Weller, Robert. “Controller at fault in air crash?” February 15, 1977. Anchorage Daily News. _______________________________________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ___________________________________________________________   The Crime is More Horrible Than You Can Imagine! _________________________________________________________________________ IF YOU ENJOY LISTENING TO YOUR NOVELS, CHECK OUT THE AUDIOBOOK VERSION OF MASSACRE AT BEAR CREEK LODGE ________________________________ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net 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 ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you 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 is 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