Renfro’s sentencing to continue Aug. 17

WASILLA — Bradley Renfro’s sentencing hearing for the murder of Palmer teen David Grunwald was extended after two full days of deliberation at the Palmer Courthouse Wednesday, Aug. 10, and Thursday, Aug. 11.

Renfro, Erick Almandinger, Dominic Johnson, and Austin Barrett have all been convicted for Grunwald’s murder.

Renfro is the final defendant to face sentencing. His defense attorney Chris Provost vigorously defended his client in an attempt to lessen his sentence severity.

“The state did prove that Bradley was a liar earlier in the case… but he’s not a killer,” Provost said.

In 2016, Grunwald was attacked in a trailer on the Almandinger family’s property in the Palmer area, forced into his own Ford Bronco, and driven up Knik River Road where he was shot in the head and died. Grunwald’s Bronco was burned in Wasilla that same evening.

Palmer District Attorney Melissa Howard said that Renfro knew what he was doing and played an active role in the series of events that led to Grunwald’s ultimate demise and the subsequent efforts to cover up their crimes such as purchasing the gasoline to burn Grunwald’s Ford Bronco.

“He still to this day has not taken responsibility. He maintains that his inaction is the extent of his involvement. He was there and just dragged along by his friends, but that’s not what the jury ultimately found. The evidence has established that the defendant was an active participant in the kidnapping and murder of David Grunwald,” Howard said.

Renfro and Almandinger’s sentences were delayed several times due to matters involving psychological evaluations and expert witnesses.

Almandinger was the first of the four defendants convicted in May of 2018, but he was the second to last to be sentenced. The jury found him guilty on all counts, including kidnapping, assault, and murder.

Earlier this week, Almandinger received a 99-year sentence for murder, kidnapping, assault, tampering with evidence, and other charges.

Renfro’s sentencing hearing will continue Wednesday, Aug. 17.

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