Person of interest in triple homicide case still at large, community shares reactions

BIG LAKE — As authorities continue their search for a man wanted for questioning regarding a triple-homicide earlier this month, residents of a small neighborhood in the Big Lake area are left on edge, waiting for answers.

Authorities are currently in search of Juan Camarena, 51, calling the Hispanic male a person of interest regarding the deaths of Michael Attwood, 25, Donna Marie Campos, 37, and Alyssa Jimenez, 28. The bodies of Attwood and Campos were both found off Knick Knack Mud Shack Road Nov. 3. Jimenez was later found dead near Mile 10 of Knik-Goose Bay Road Nov. 5.

On Nov. 11, hours before the Alaska State Troopers issued an alert with Camarena listed as a person of interest regarding the case, AST issued a separate alert warning residents of a high police presence in the area of Hollywood Road and Medora Cross. The police presence was related to the murders and the ensuing search for Camarena, Department of Public Safety Public Information Officer Tim DeSpain said.

Kelly Malidore and her husband own a piece of property on Medora Cross.

“It’s terrifying. I would assume he’s most likely hiding and he’s probably trying to find a way out of Alaska. But, there are houses just like the one that was raided all over the Valley and if he’s the main suspect in the murder, I’m sure the people who are helping him know that too,” Malidore said.

Malidore said there is a property off Medora Cross with a history of issues related to crime and drugs. Big Lake resident and community council member Bill Haller affirmed the property has been on the community’s radar for years, but they haven’t seen any major actions being taken by law enforcement until recently.

“The sad thing is we had been complaining about that house being a problem forever, and they don’t do anything. I mean there’s like six or eight of them in Big Lake that we could point ‘em to that are the problem… and if they dealt with them, they wouldn’t have this problem,” Haller said.

Haller expressed frustration toward the lack of enforcement addressing the rampant drug problem plaguing his community, but gave credit to the troopers for showing more of a presence in recent months.

“I do give kudos, that they are starting to start arresting and actually dealing with the crime problem. They’re not letting it fester and grow like it was with SB-91. But, you know, it takes time to chase them all down. They’ve had 90 percent of these people in custody at one time. It’s not like they don’t know who they are,” Haller said.

Malidore said that while she doesn’t know who shot the three victims, she noted that whoever it is acted like they were all “disposable.” She said that she hopes the culprit is brought to justice.

“Whoever is responsible, if there’s more than one, they all need life in prison because we don’t have the death penalty,” Malidore said.

Big Lake resident Kenzie Holbrook is one of Malidore’s neighbors. Like many residents around her, she’s been the victim of theft and other mishaps involving the local drug users. She’s had her fair share of frustrations but wanted to acknowledge the sheer sadness of those three deaths.

“You see patterns within families and that’s really sad… I don’t condone any of it and it makes me super frustrated and angry but it’s something to consider because look at all those names on that list, they’re connected,” Holbrook said.

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