Maxon charged for Monday quadruple murder

PALMER — After being charged with nine felonies following the murder of four family members, 18-year-old Malachi Maxon was arraigned in two separate hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday. Maxon is charged with five counts of murder I, assault III, theft II, vehicle theft I, and escape I, all felonies. Maxon was released from prison on pretrial enforcement division monitoring on Nov. 23 and set to appear in a pretrial conference on Nov. 30 on charges of assault IV and interfering with the report of a domestic violence crime which was continued.

According to the affidavit from the Alaska State Troopers, Maxon was related to all four people he shot early monday morning. Initially, MATCOM Dispatch received a report at 3:13 a.m., of a possible suicide in Wasilla. Upon response, troopers discovered Maxon’s cousin 18-year-old Cody Roehl, of Wasilla, injured from gunshot wounds from a stolen Glock pistol Maxon had taken from the residence. Video footage shows a white Jeep Liberty leaving the residence at 3:05 a.m. which was stolen by Maxon after firing multiple rounds at Roehl. The affidavit reads, “there were several more bullet deflects than there were with the other bodies…Maxon likely fired more shots.”

Roehl was transported to the hospital and later died from the gunshot wound. A family member at the house in Wasilla reported that Maxon had been at the house but there had not been any altercation before the gunshots and that when he went looking for Maxon he was nowhere to be found. The garage door was left open, the Glock pistol and Jeep missing from the house.

At 3:35 a.m., Maxon’s location was determined to be at 335 North Valley Way in Palmer through pretrial monitoring. At about the same time, the Palmer Police Department heard reports of gunshots at the address. Audio recording from nearby captures both the sounds of gunshots and glass breaking upon Maxon’s entry at 335 North Valley Way, but also the sound of footsteps over broken glass upon his exit.

Maxon shot his aunt, 43-year-old Kimora Buster in the basement of the house and also fired upon three children, ultimately killing two of them. Upon arrival, Kimora and 7-year-old Ellison Buster were found dead. Maxon also shot 10-year-old Sienna Buster, who was transported to the hospital and later died from the gunshot wound. Another child, who was in the bed, was uninjured.

When Maxon was pulled over and arrested by Anchorage police officers and Wasilla police, he attempted to pull at an officer’s firearm while being transported.

“Maxon also attempted to escape official detention while he was being transferred from one location to another by means of a dangerous instrument. Maxon tried to get to the nearby trees while being moved from one location to another. When he tried to escape, Maxon grabbed a hold of the CSO and when the trooper came to assist, Maxson grabbed the trooper’s pistol tried to pull it from the holster. Maxson was subdued without injury. When Maxon was photographed, troopers located lacerations and penetrating wounds to Maxon’s legs that appeared to be from the glass window at 335 North Valley Way.”

Maxon had previously been charged with seven misdemeanors and a felony over the last five months. On July 23, Maxon was charged with two class A misdemeanors, assault IV and interfering with the report of a domestic violence crime. On Oct. 9, Maxon was charged with felony criminal mischief III, assault IV and violating conditions of release. On Nov. 1, Maxon was charged with two counts of assault 4 and criminal mischief 5. Maxon is being held at Mat-Su pretrial in Palmer.

This is a developing story.