More details emerge in Peterson murder charge

PALMER — "The police are stupid and they're gonna tell you that they'll give you a deal just so you talk..."

Those words were allegedly spoken by 19-year old Damien Peterson and recorded by Alaska State Troopers (AST) as part of their investigation into the shooting death of 16-year old Frank Woodford at a house in Wasilla on June 27, 2016. Peterson was arraigned in Palmer District Court Saturday on second-degree murder charges before Judge Jonathan Woodman.

The case into Woodford's death was closed in July with no arrests made pending further developments. However, after the November, 2016 death of 16-year old David Grunwald, police reopened it. According to a Jan. 5, 2017 incident AST incident report supplied to the Woodford family, Austin Barrett, one of the five Mat-Su teens charged in Grunwald's kidnapping, beating and death, was one of two teens in the room at the time Woodford was shot. The other was Peterson. Damien Peterson is the older brother of Devin Peterson, also charged in Grunwald's murder.

In a Feb. 11 court affidavit, AST Sergeant Tony Wegrzyn stated several cooperating witnesses (CW) led to Peterson's Friday, Feb, 10 arrest. Wegrzyn stated that on Jan. 25, AST Investigator David DeCoeur contacted "CW 1" during an unrelated theft investigation and that CW1 is a close, personal friend of Damien Peterson. According to Wegrzyn, Peterson contacted CW1 for a ride in October and talked to him about the FW shooting.

Although the original affidavit contained the names Woodford and Barrett, the document was redacted with a black marker. Where the name Woodford was typed, it was replaced with a handwritten "FW". Where ever Barrett appeared, it was redacted and "AB" written in. The affidavit states that Peterson informed the CW that the only people he discussed the FW shooting with was his brother Devin and mother, Alanah Peterson.

"Damien told CW1 'I got a body on me' and stated that he killed Woodford," Wegrzyn wrote in the affidavit. Wegrzyn went on to state that he, Barrett and Woodford were the only ones in the room at the time of the shooting and that all three were "messing around" with the 10 mm Glock pistol which killed Woodford.

"Damien said he pointed the pistol and pulled the trigger. CW1 asked Damien if he did it on purpose. Damien said he did not think the pistol was loaded," Wegrzyn stated in the document, adding Damien apparently had not checked the gun to see if it was loaded. "Damien and Barrett decided to 'play it off' like Woodford had shot himself."

Wegrzyn said CW1 wasn't offered any kind of deal for cooperating in relation to the current case against him and that the CW volunteered it without being asked. Wegrzyn said on Feb. 2 he spoke with a second cooperating witness (CW2) who, according to the affidavit, was a witness to the shooting. The affidavit states CW2 was offered consideration in an open criminal case in exchange for his cooperation in the Woodford shooting.

The affidavit states that CW2 and Peterson were in the bedroom listening to music on an iPad. CW2 told police the two had been smoking a "normal" amount of marijuana that evening, adding everyone in the house smoked it daily. Wegrzyn stated Peterson possessed a Glock 10 mm handgun and he had seen it with him at least three times in preceding days. While Peterson was ejecting live rounds from the gun, CW2 stated Peterson, with his finger on the trigger, pointed it at his head and chest. According to the affidavit, CW2 acted tough like it didn't bother him, but CW2 stated that he was afraid at the time.

Shortly after that, according to the affidavit, FW entered the bedroom as Peterson continued loading and unloading the gun and pointed it at FW in a similar fashion as was done to CW2. CW2 told police he could tell that FW was afraid. During this point in the interview, Wegrzyn said CW2 became emotional and started to cry. Continuing, CW2 said Peterson pressed the trigger and shot FW in the chest. CW2 said he immediately jumped off the bed in shock and surprise and looked at Peterson.

The affidavit stated Peterson stood up, pointed the gun in the direction of CW2 and stated "FW shot himself.”

At that point, the two fled as others began entering the room to see what had happened. The court document states while the two were outside in the driveway, Peterson called his brother Devin for a ride. CW2 said after that, Peterson threatened him that if he were to tell what happened inside the bedroom, he would have him killed.

According to the affidavit, Peterson then dropped a name of a person known to CW2 , and CW2 believed that person capable of killing someone. Wegrzyn stated CW2 believed Peterson would have him, and possibly his family killed, if he knew CW2 spoke to police about the incident. CW2 said Peterson got off the phone with his brother and confirmed CW2 was going to stick to his story, then left on foot.

That same day, CW2 called Damien Peterson. The call was monitored by police through an obtained search warrant. During the call, CW2 confronted Damien Peterson about the FW shooting and that Peterson responded as follows.

"Damien replied, 'Dude, all you got to do is let em know is we was all, we was in there and then me and you went in the room and (FW) was with us, we jumped on the bed and the gun was on there, then I picked it up, I dropped the clip out make sure there was nothin' in the head, I played with it for a second and set it down, and then, we got on the tablet, (FW) picked it up and he next thing we know, we heard a bang, we looked up and (he) shot himself,'" the affidavit stated.

The following day, Wegrzyn stated AST interviewed a third CW (CW3), a close associate of Damien Peterson who has lived with him in the past. During the interview, CW3 stated that he overheard a conversation between Damien and another individual and that Damien told that person he had shot FW accidently.

Incident report

AST responded to Woodford's shooting just after midnight Monday morning. According to a report filed by trooper Jared Noll, he found Woodford on the floor of a downstairs bedroom with an apparent gunshot wound to his chest. He also noticed the 10mm Glock. Noll said Woodford was conscious, alert and appeared to be in substantial pain.

Noll said when asked what happened, Woodford stated he was unsure.

"I asked him again, and he stated he didn't shoot himself," Noll's report stated. "At that point, one of the medics spoke to 'F' and stated 'You are not going to survive this; we need to know what happened. 'F’ reiterated he did not shoot himself."

Noll said he identified and interviewed Barrett who told him he and Damien Peterson were the only ones in the room and witnessed the shooting. Barrett told Noll that despite being warned, F picked up the pistol. Barrett said he was busy on a personal tablet when he heard the gun discharge and F "was next to him with blood everywhere.”

According to AST investigator Andrew Adams, Peterson stated, "When I went into the room, Austin and F were already sitting on the bed. I jumped on the bed and landed on the gun. I took the magazine out and checked the chamber to make sure it was empty. I remember seeing that the magazine had three bullets in it. I pointed it at the light fixture on the ceiling and pulled the trigger. The trigger had no play in it because it didn't reset. I twirled the gun around my finger like they do in the old west movies. Then I put the magazine halfway back into the gun and put it on the bed. A little while later, F wanted to touch it and I told him "don't touch that." About 15 seconds after that he picked it up and I told him 'be careful.' The shot went off about 4-5 minutes later. I was just in shock. They told everyone to leave so I did. Someone at the house told me to call you, so I did."

Police interviewed a number of people present in the home at the time of the shooting. Woodford was taken to Providence Alaska Medical Center where he died during surgery about three hours later. The body was turned over to the State Medical Examiner's office for autopsy which, according to reports, was filled by Dr. Gary Zientek.

A report on that autopsy by AST Investigator Dennis Dupras noted the body had a gunshot wound (entry) to the center of the chest and another at the mid back to the right of the spine (exit). The entry wound , Dupras wrote, appeared to have stippling present and was consistent with a loose contact wound. Dr. Zientek indicated the bullet traveled from front to rear with a slight downward angle.

Dupras said the body had visible injuries on his left hand and right forearm. There were recent wounds on the outside of his left hand, on the left trigger finger and left middle finger. On the right forearm there was a piece of flesh missing above the wrist. This appeared to be a fresh wound.

"I saw no other major injuries or signs of foul play visible on W," Dupras stated. "Dr. Zientek determined the cause of death to be perforating gunshot wound to the torso and the manner of death was left undetermined pending investigation."

Contact reporter Chris Ford at 352-2270 or

chris.ford@frontiersman.com