Almandinger sentencing hearing pushed to August

WASILLA — Erick Almadinger’s sentencing hearing was pushed to August during a proceeding at the Palmer Courthouse Wednesday, June 15.

Almandinger and Bradley Renfro are the final two defendants to be sentenced for the savage assault, kidnapping, and subsequent murder of Pamer teen David Grunwald on the night of Nov. 13, 2016.

Almandinger, Renfro, Dominic Johnson, and Austin Barrett have all been found guilty for their role in Grunwald’s murder.

It’s been over five years since Grunwald was killed. Almandinger was 16 at the time of the murder, the same age as Grunwald. Almandinger is now 22 years old.

Almandinger’s public defense attorney John Putikka said that he spoke with Barrett and his defense attorney Craig Howard. He said that Barrett wants to testify to Grunwald’s family.

“He feels, I guess apparently, that he needs to face the Grunwalds and take ownership of what he did,” Putikka said.

This could mean that Barrett intends to admit that he was the one who shot Grunwald that fateful night. To date, there has been no clear indication of who actually pulled the trigger.

Putikka said this could affect both Almandinger and Renfro’s cases.

District Attorney Melissa Wininger-Howard pointed out that Renfro’s defense, Chris Provost has not filed anything for the sentencing memorandum. She criticized Barrett’s credibility because all four defendants have lied extensively throughout the entire process, adding that the true identity of who shot Grunwald doesn’t matter.

“Do I think it’s a coincidence that now all of sudden Barrett wants to come help his buddies at their sentencings and Provost hasn’t filed anything so his sentencing had to be continued? No, I don’t think it’s a coincidence at all,” Melissa Wininger-Howard said. “It sounds like he wants to come face the Grunwalds, fine, but they were all convicted as principal or accomplice. So, who the shooter is is really irrelevant as the state is concerned,” Wininger-Howard said.

According to online court documents, Almandinger’s sentencing hearing is now set for Aug. 8, Aug. 9, and Aug. 10.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com