June 23, 2006

By MARY AMES

Frontiersman PALMER - An Anchorage man was arraigned in Palmer District Court Wednesday on murder charges stemming from the Monday death of his nephew at Alexander Creek.

Donald J. Roberts, 67, faces charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter for the death of Earl B. Roberts, 55, of Anchorage.

Donald Roberts told Magistrate David Zwink he didn't have a lawyer, but he wanted to talk with his family before having one appointed.

According to a complaint report filed by the district attorney, Earl Roberts arrived at his uncle's cabin on Alexander Creek late Sunday afternoon. The men visited neighbors briefly, then went to Donald Roberts' cabin to talk and drink.

About 7 a.m. Monday, Fred Sorensen, who lives about 100 yards north of Roberts, heard three gun shots. Sorensen wasn't sure which directions the shots came from, the report said.

Sometime after 1 p.m., Donald Roberts called Pamela Sorensen and asked for her help in “moving something heavy,” the report said. After repeated questioning by Pamela Sorensen, Donald Roberts said Earl Roberts was hurt and he needed to get him out of the sun.

When Pamela Sorensen and Craig Foldenauer went to Roberts' house, they found Earl Roberts lying on the ground between the cabin and the outhouse, with Donald Roberts trying to provide shade for his nephew, the report said.

Pamela Sorensen called 911, and then called Shawna and Keith Gabberts for help, the report said.

Earl Roberts had a bleeding wound on his buttocks, just below the tailbone and a gaping wound on his head that wasn't bleeding when Sorensen found him, the report said.

Sorensen, Foldenauer and the Gabberts tried to stop the bleeding wound and Sorensen repeatedly asked Earl and Donald Roberts what happened. Both men said they didn't know, that they had been drinking, but about five minutes before he died, Earl Roberts said, “I think I've been shot,” the report said.

A Lifeguard Helicopter from Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage arrived at the cabin near the confluence near the Susitna River. Medics were unable to revive Earl Roberts, and reported their findings to Alaska State Troopers about 3:20 p.m. Troopers from the Palmer post, including wildlife troopers and officers from the Alaska Bureau of Investigation, arrived at the cabin by boat and helicopter about 5 p.m., according to a trooper report.

The report from the district attorney said Earl Roberts had four wounds to his buttocks, an entrance wound on his left hip, an exit wound on the right side of the buttocks and two wounds in the center. The only other visible wound was the laceration to the forehead, where the bone was visible, the report said.

Earl Roberts died of a perforating gunshot wound to the body, according to Franc Fallico, state medical examiner.

Donald Roberts told troopers during an interview that he and his nephew were drinking beer and whiskey and when he went to bed early, Earl Roberts was sitting in the orange chair. When Donald Roberts woke up, his nephew wasn't in the cabin, but Donald Roberts found Earl Roberts lying on the ground outside, his pants soaked with blood, the report said.

Donald Roberts maintained he couldn't remember what happened, the report said. Donald Roberts noticed his 30.06 rifle lying by the side of his bed when he went back into the cabin to call for help, the report said.

At Wednesday's arraignment Roman Kalytiak, district attorney, said Donald Roberts had no recent criminal history, but had been convicted of DUI seven times. Kalytiak asked Zwink to set bail at $80,000, plus a third-party custodian.

Earl Roberts' widow, Holly Roberts, spoke to the court by phone. She didn't object to the bail, she said, but she did have something to say to Donald.

“How could you deprive two grandchildren, 11 and 5 years old, of their grandfather?” Holly Roberts said. “How can you live with this?”

Zwink said under the circumstances, the bail request was a little low, and set bail at $100,000 cash plus a third party.

Contact Mary Ames at 352-2284 or mary.ames@frontiersman.com.