Son accused of killing father, arraigned with $20,000 bail

PALMER— Mark Myers was arraigned on a murder indictment on Thursday, at the Palmer Courthouse with Judge Vanessa White presiding. Myers, 24, of Wasilla, is accused of murdering his father Julian Myers, 51, who also lived in Wasilla.

Myers is facing two counts of murder in the second degree and one charge for manslaughter, according to online court documents.

During Myers' arraignment, he said that he works as a “home care provider” and White appointed a public defender as his council. White said that she was assigned Myers' case but since she is retiring soon, another judged will be assigned, “within the next month or so.”

The alleged incident occurred late at night on Christmas Eve 2018, according to the Alaska State Trooper dispatch, which stated troopers responded to a report of shots fired during a disturbance. Julian Myers was dead on the scene and “the person responsible has been identified and is cooperating with the investigation,” troopers wrote.

On March 22, a Palmer Grand Jury indicted Myers for two counts of murder in the second degree and one count of Manslaughter, according to AST dispatch. An arrest warrant was issued four days later and Myers was found and arrested the following day.

Myers' bail was set for $20,000. White said that she felt the amount was appropriate at this time given the nature of the charges and his moderate risk of failure to appear based on his pretrial risk assessment.

“But I encourage him to file for a first bail hearing,” White said.

White stated that Myers is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial conference on May 2 at 2:30 p.m., putting him on track for trial status on May 17 at 2:30 p.m.

This is a developing story. Continue to see frontiersman.com for more coverage.

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