Wasilla man arrested in Big Lake for murder

WASILLA — A 40-year-old Wasilla resident, James Simpson, was charged for murder regarding the death of Richard Proveaux, age 40 of Wasilla.

According to online dispatch records, Alaska State Troopers responded Big Lake after receiving a report for a missing person March 26.

A preliminary investigation indicated that Proveaux went missing under suspicious circumstances.

The Alaska Bureau of Investigation South-Central Major Crimes Unit responded and their investigation determined that Proveaux was murdered on his property and his remains were hidden nearby.

ABI identified Simpson as the murder suspect, then AST obtained an arrest warrant for the original charges of Murder in the 1st Degree and Murder in the 2nd Degree March 29.

Troopers worked with the US Marshals Service Fugitive Task and arrested Simpson in Big Lake without incident.

Simpson was transported to the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility in Palmer and with a $100,000 cash-only bail.

According to online court documents, Simpson was arraigned at the Palmer Courthouse March 30. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 9 at 1 p.m.

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