Willow man charged in fatal shooting

PALMER — A grand jury has formally charged a Willow man with murder for a shooting dating back to November 2011, Alaska State Troopers announced Tuesday.

According to a trooper press statement, James Armstrong, 60, of Willow, was charged with murder and manslaughter in the death of Ronald D. Gunter of Talkeetna, who was 61 when he died.

The shooting dates back to Nov. 20, 2011, and occurred at a home on Susitna Drive near Mile 91, Parks Highway.

“Two adult males were involved in a physical altercation at the residence. During the altercation, one of the men produced a small caliber pistol and fired a single shot in an apparent attempt to stop the assault, striking the other male in the head and killing him,” according to a trooper press statement from the time.

Troopers consulted with the district attorney’s office and decided not to make an arrest immediately. The grand jury returns were handed down Aug. 30. Wednesday’s press release was the first time troopers had named Armstrong.

The murder case is the first felony Armstrong has faced in Palmer. What other cases turned up in a quick court records search seemed to be minor.

As of Wednesday morning, Armstrong was listed in jail records as an inmate of the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility.