Alaska prosecutors release photos of possible third victim in sentencing for convicted killer Brian Smith

A forensic artist’s sketch of a 3rd imaginable unfortunate successful nan Brian Steven Smith execution case. It’s a composite of images taken from 1 of Smith’s compartment phones. (From APD)

Prosecutors person released photographs of a imaginable 3rd unfortunate successful nan lawsuit of Brian Smith, who was convicted successful February of sidesplitting 2 Alaska Native women.

The images allegedly came from 1 of Smith’s cellphones and were included successful a sentencing memorandum revenge past week, conscionable up of Smith’s sentencing, which is group to statesman Friday morning.

Prosecutors person asked for a 226-year sentence. They included nan photos successful nan sentencing memo to thief make their case.

The photographs show a woman, perchance Alaska Native, connected nan ground, spattered pinch humor and dirt, appearing to beryllium either dormant aliases unconscious. Key grounds successful Smith’s execution proceedings included cellphone videos and images Smith created while sidesplitting 1 of his known victims.

The caller images travel from a cellphone Anchorage constabulary detectives seized astatine nan Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport successful 2019. Smith was connected his measurement location from a picnic and constabulary met him to interrogate him astir increasing grounds against him successful nan execution of Smith’s first known execution victim, Kathleen Jo Henry.

Although it’s been almost 5 years, constabulary person yet to place nan female successful nan recently released photographs.

The tribunal filing besides includes a sketch from a forensic creator to springiness a amended thought of what nan female mightiness person looked like, based connected a facial reconstruction of nan cellphone images.

In an email, Anchorage District Attorney Brittany Dunlop said constabulary person been trying to place nan female since they discovered nan photos, and they typically don’t merchandise akin crime segment photos during an ongoing investigation. But successful this case, Dunlop said, they were attached to nan sentencing memo “to springiness nan tribunal a amended image of nan afloat shape of behavior.”

“While nan images are disturbing fixed nan humor and her positioning, she is clothed successful nan images,” Dunlop said successful nan email. “I felt it was important for nan tribunal to spot them erstwhile rendering a sentence, arsenic these images were discussed by Smith successful his question and reply pinch nan constabulary that was played successful court. My dream remains that she tin beryllium positively identified.”

Michael Livingston, a erstwhile Anchorage constabulary officer, said it’s excessively little, excessively late.

“I cognize it’s easy to knock police, and I admit it’s not easy to beryllium a constabulary serviceman aliases a homicide detective,” Livingston said. “But I wish much efforts had been made successful 2019 to place this woman.”

Livingston is Unangan and has been progressive successful Alaska’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, aliases MMIP, movement.

The female mightiness person been identified by now, had an artist’s sketch been released sooner, Livingston said, though he felt nan prosecutors had gone excessively acold successful releasing existent photos of nan woman. They show a deficiency of respect for nan victim, Livingston said, and he questioned whether they would had been released if she were white.

“She’s somebody’s daughter,” Livingston said. “She possibly somebody’s sister aliases somebody’s mother.”

Smith’s defense attorney, Timothy Ayer, has besides objected to nan usage of nan images successful nan sentencing.

In a memorandum revenge Monday, Ayer based on that nan prosecution knows thing astir nan personification successful nan photographs and that there’s nary measurement to show whether they are existent aliases staged.

Ayer besides objected to nan prosecution’s proposal for a 226-year sentence, saying a much due condemnation would beryllium 132 years.

According to nan defense’s sentencing memo, location is nary functional quality betwixt nan 2 sentences – that some would support Smith successful situation for nan remainder of his life.

Smith, who is from South Africa, lived successful Anchorage and worked astatine a Midtown hotel.

In February, a assemblage convicted him connected each 14 counts for which he was indicted, including first-degree murder, successful nan deaths of Veronica Abouchuk and Kathleen Jo Henry.

In constabulary interviews, Smith admitted he targeted Native women who struggle pinch homelessness and different vulnerabilities.

Brian Steven Smith, 52, is seated successful tribunal to perceive closing statements successful his execution trial. A assemblage convicted him successful February 2024. (Matt Faubion/Alaska Public Media)

During Smith’s trial, prosecutors showed nan assemblage a schematic video of Henry gasping for air. Smith’s sound could beryllium heard successful nan background, arsenic he taunted her and complained she was taking excessively agelong to die.

The footage came from a different cellphone, stolen by a activity worker, who said she took it from Smith’s pickup motortruck while they were connected a “date.” The female later copied nan video to a representation paper and gave it to police. Had she not done so, detectives would apt not person connected Smith to nan deaths of Henry and Abouchuk, whose remains were recovered extracurricular Anchorage.

Smith will spell earlier Anchorage Superior Court Judge Kevin Saxby. His sentencing is scheduled complete 2 days: Friday, July 12 and, a week later, Friday, July 19.