High-profile cases making their way through the local court system

Mat-Su courts are currently processing more than a half-dozen murders through the system. Additionally, several manslaughters as well as an attempted murder are on the docket. Most are scheduled for trial by the end of summer. Following are the latest updates on each.

Grunwald murder

The November 2016 murder of David Grunwald drew world-wide attention to the Valley. The 16-year old Palmer youth’s burned out Bronco was discovered hours after he was reported missing. The public came out in masse wanting to help police search areas of interest by law enforcement and private investigators on the case. His body was found in early December.

Police have charged five Mat-Su youth—Erick Almandinger, Bradley J. Renfro, Dominic Johnson, Devin Peterson, and Austin B. Barrett, in the case. Almandinger, Renfro, Johnson and Barrett were arraigned on: one count of first-degree murder, one count of kidnapping, two counts of second-degree murder, felony murder and first-degree tampering with evidence. With the exception of Barrett, the other three were also arraigned on first-degree tampering with evidence. Peterson’s arraignment included three counts of first-degree tampering with evidence and one count of first-degree hindering prosecution.

The five were were originally scheduled for mid-February trials in Palmer Superior Court. Current court records show trials slated to begin just after Independence Day. All remain lodged at Mat-Su Pretrial Facility. With the exception of Peterson, bail was denied. Peterson’s bail remains set at $100,000 plus court-appointed third party (CATP).

Woodford shooting

This spring, police charged Devin Peterson’s older brother Damien for his alleged involvement in the June 27, 2016 death of 16-year old Frank Woodford. The Wasilla teen died from a gunshot wound to the chest. According to an Alaska State Troopers (AST) report released, Woodford was shot in a room of a Wasilla home. Two other teenagers, including Austin Barrett, were in the home at the time of the shooting.

AST responded to the scene on June 27 to find Woodford on the floor of a downstairs bedroom at the residence with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was still alive at the time police arrived and when asked, told troopers he did not shoot himself. When Woodford was told by medics on-scene his wound was fatal and police needed to know what happened, troopers stated Woodford reiterated that he did not shoot himself. He was medevaced to Anchorage and later pronounced dead.

Peterson remains jailed at Mat-Su Pretrial Facility and court dockets have an Aug. 18, 2017 jury trial scheduled.

Seaman shooting

Joshua Beebe, 32, appeared in Palmer Superior Court this spring to plead guilty to the June 2015 murder of 23-year-old Christopher Seaman in Houston after reaching a plea agreement with the state of Alaska.

Beebe was indicted on nine counts in August 2015 stemming from what authorities alleged were the shootings of two individuals in the span of a week. He faced charges of first-degree murder, three different counts of second-degree murder, two counts of first degree robbery, one count of first-degree assault, and two counts of third-degree weapons misconduct. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Beebe is scheduled to be sentenced in Palmer Superior Court Aug. 17 which, ironically, is Seaman's birthday and the date Beebe was originally arraigned on the charges. In addition to the sentencing before Judge Vanessa White, Beebe faces 10 years of probation plus yet-to-be-determined restitution.

Manslaughter indictments

Grand Jury manslaughter indictments were handed down against 25-year-old Darin J. Cleveland of Anchorage and 29-year old Bryon Michael Melton of Willow in Palmer District Court last September. Each was indicted on three charges stemming from separate accidents in Wasilla in January and February of 2016.

Cleveland is alleged to have been the driver in an early New Year’s Day two-vehicle head-on collision near the KGB-Vine Road intersection in Wasilla. The accident claimed the life of 57-year old Pyotr Kudryn of Palmer and seriously injured two others. He is charged with one count each of manslaughter, DUI and driving on a suspended license.

Police say Melton is responsible for the Feb. 8 death of 15-year-old Austin Edenfield as the youth and friend walked along Pittman Road in Wasilla. Melton is charged with one count each of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and driving without a valid license. Alaska State Troopers state Cleveland was driving south in the northbound lane of KGB Road when he struck Kudryn, who was heading north. Kudryn was pronounced dead at the scene. Two passengers in Cleveland’s vehicle were seriously injured.

Johnson’s trial is scheduled to start Aug. 8 while Melton is expected to be in court Aug. 14.

Speaker murder

Joed Weyand and Robert Barker remain jailed for their alleged involvement in the May 14, 2017, murder of 26-year old Jeremie Speaker of Anchorage. Speaker’s body was discovered at mile 4.8 of Knik River Road by passersby near the scene of a two-vehicle fire reported the night before. Police reported finding eight bullet wounds in Speaker’s body. Both men are expected back in court June 30 at 1 p.m.

Denardi, Gross shootings

Following the death of two Mat-Su residents in Meadow Lakes, federal and state officials arrested John Pearl Smith II for the crimes in March. A federal grand jury handed down an 18-count indictment against Pearl for his alleged involvement in the deaths of 30-year old Crystal S. Denardi and 43-year old Ben. G. Gross.

Denardi and Gross were found in the early morning of June 5, 2016, at a property on West Coal Road. When police and EMT personnel arrived on-scene at the location near Cloudy Lake, they found an unattached garage/shop building fully engulfed in flames. Denardi’s and Gross’ bodies were found inside the structure.

Smith is believed to have been involved with a number of armed robberies between September of 2015 and the day Denardi and Gross were found. Federal officials stated they believe Smith’s crime spree targeted people he believed were involved in drug trafficking.

Anchorage U.S. Attorney Office officials stated “special findings” make Smith eligible for the death penalty, if he is convicted in federal court, including evidence that the murders were premeditated.

Alaska doesn’t have the death penalty. He is being held without bail at Cook Inlet Pretrial in Anchorage. According to federal district court records, a trial, if needed, is set to commence April 2, 2018 and last approximately four weeks.

Butler, Casler shootings

Bruce Floyd Dowd Butler, 42, was arrested and charged Tuesday in connection with a nearly two-year old Denali Highway double homicide.

Bruce Butler was charged earlier this week with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Wasilla residents Lynn Butler, 42, and Richard Casler, 61. Both were found at a rural camp near mile 79 of the Denali Highway in early July of 2015. Police reported both died of gunshot wounds and that Casler also suffered blunt-force trauma injuries.

Butler, who had filed for divorce weeks prior to his estranged wife’s disappearance, remains jailed on a half-million dollar bail. No additional court appearances have been scheduled at press deadline.

Butte home invasion

Two 22-year old anchorage men were originally charged with first-degree attempted murder, assault, armed robbery, and burglary stemming from July 21, 2016 incident in Butte.

Shyheim Chavis faces one count each of first-degree attempted murder, burglary and third-degree assault; plus two counts of first-degree armed robbery and two counts of first-degree assault. Shaquan M. Johnson’s attempted murder, assault and burglary charges have been dismissed but he remains charged with two counts of third-degree assault and one count of first-degree armed robbery.

According to court affidavits, police found a husband had been shot in the arm and shoulder and his wife assaulted in the Plumley Road home. After being interrogated while jailed on an unrelated case in Anchorage, police say Chavis admitted to both being at the residence and shooting the husband. He further implicated Johnson as the person who held the wife at gunpoint.

Johnson is expected in court on Aug. 28 and Chavis on Aug. 8.