Sentencing hearings approaching for final two members of group involved in Grunwald murder

WASILLA — The final two defendants in the David Grunwald murder trial, Erick Almandinger and Bradley Renfro are scheduled to return to a courtroom in June.

Almandinger, Renfro, Dominic Johnson, and Austin Barrett have all been found guilty of Grunwald’s savage beating and pistol-whipping, kidnapping, and subsequent murder on the night of Nov. 13, 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.

Both Almandinger and Renfro’s sentences have been delayed due to matters involving psychological evaluations and expert witnesses. Proceedings were further exacerbated by the pandemic.

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

Renfro was found guilty for the kidnapping and murder of Valley teen David Grunwald during his trial in Fairbanks in 2019. He was the only of the four defendants to have his trial moved from Palmer.

Barrett received a 65-year sentence with 20 years suspended in 2020. The proceedings were closed to the public, but the hearing was streamed over the Palmer Court’s YouTube channel.

Johnson received a guilty sentence during a telephonic hearing in 2021. He received a total of 99 years for assault, kidnapping, evidence tampering, and murder. Palmer Judge Gregory Heath suspended 20 years from Johnson’s sentence and said that he would be eligible for discretionary parole in 36 years.

Almandinger’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 15 through June 17.

Renfro’s sentencing is scheduled for June 21 through June 23.

Visit Frontiersman.com for past coverage of the Grunwald murder trial.

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