Convicted killer goes to trial in Anchorage

ANCHORAGE — The second murder trial stemming from a December 2007 rampage that left two victims dead is scheduled to begin March 9.

Christopher Erin Rogers Jr., 29, faces 10 criminal charges in the courtroom of Anchorage Superior Court Judge Eric Aarseth. They include first-degree murder for the shooting death of Jason Wegner, and attempted murder charges and felony assault charges for shooting Elizabeth Rumsey and Tamas Deak.

Rogers was convicted in December of murder for the machete attacks in a home south of Palmer. Those attacks preceded the Anchorage shootings by a few hours. A Palmer Superior Court jury convicted him of first-degree murder for the killing of his father, Christopher Erin Rogers Sr., of Palmer, and of attempted murder and assault for attacking his father’s fiancée, Elann Moren. Rounding out that case were convictions for animal cruelty (a dog defended the victims and was cut) and vehicle theft.

Police and prosecutors say Rogers’ violent spree lasted about 26 hours beginning on the evening of Dec. 2, 2007 and ending Dec. 3. Inside his father’s home near Palmer, Rogers killed his father and seriously wounded Moren using a machete. He attacked the couple in their sleep, according to the state’s theory of the crimes. Next Rogers drove to Anchorage and executed the other shootings, attacking strangers in a string of apparently random encounters.

Rogers allegedly shot Wegner in an attempt to car-jack the graduate student’s Ford Bronco, but police say Rogers fled instead of taking the vehicle. Rogers encountered Rumsey on a bicycle trail. She was walking home from the Bear Tooth Theater when Rogers shot her in the back, police say, and Deak was ambushed while warming up his Jeep on his way to work.

Rogers used the Jeep to evade police, who eventually used a patrol car to ram the Jeep and capture Rogers.

One of the charges being brought in Anchorage is attempted murder of a police officer. Rogers allegedly told detectives he intended to shoot police officers, but his gun would not fire. He is also charged with vehicle theft and failing to stop for police.