Anthony Pisano sentenced to 300 years in Spenard triple homicide

Anthony Pisano, accused of sidesplitting 3 men successful 2017, sits astatine his 2nd proceedings astatine Nesbett Courthouse successful Anchorage connected Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. (Matt Faubion/Alaska nationalist Media)

The man convicted of shooting 3 men to decease astatine a Spenard golden shop successful 2017 was sentenced Thursday to 300 years successful prison, arsenic allegations emerged that he had later sought to termination nan prosecution’s prima witnesser against him.

An Alaska Department of Law connection said Anthony Pisano, 50, was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Jack McKenna to nan maximum 99 years for each unfortunate successful nan Sept. 12, 2017 shooting: Bullion Brothers shop proprietor Steven Cook, arsenic good arsenic adjacent flat residents Daniel McCreadie and Kenneth Hartman. Pisano was besides sentenced to 5 years for assaulting Michael DuPree, nan deadly day’s only different survivor, pinch 2 years to beryllium served concurrently.

Pisano was found blameworthy of first-degree execution charges successful November, aft a 2nd assemblage took a play to deliberate his fate. His first trial ended successful a 2020 mistrial, pinch nan COVID pandemic delaying his return to court.

At his 2nd proceedings Pisano’s attorney, Kevin Fitzgerald, claimed that Cook was changeable and killed by his business partner, DuPree. That, he said, led to a shootout during which Pisano changeable and killed McCreadie and Hartman successful self-defense arsenic they rushed to help.

Jurors yet accepted Anchorage District Attorney Brittany Dunlop’s relationship of nan crime, which she characterized arsenic a botched robbery of nan shop by Pisano. Prosecutors cited some Pisano’s Army acquisition and his complete $90,000 successful credit-card debt. But their cardinal witnesser was DuPree, who told jurors he fought pinch Pisano, past ran from nan segment and called 911.

Dunlop said by telephone Friday that Thursday’s sentencing opened pinch a position of grounds by Anchorage constabulary that Pisano had allegedly asked a chap Anchorage Correctional Complex inmate, Dave Herman, to termination DuPree successful 2020 betwixt nan 2 trials.

“We sewage connection that (Herman) had reached retired to his spouse astir Anthony Pisano contacting him while he was successful custody, and wanting fundamentally to return a deed retired connected Michael DuPree,” Dunlop said. “The detective sewage capable accusation to dainty that threat arsenic credible.”

The investigation was hampered by nan pandemic’s dispersed done nan jail, Dunlop said, arsenic good arsenic Herman’s decease aft his release. Although Herman shared letters written successful codification he had allegedly exchanged pinch Pisano, Dunlop said prosecutors revenge nan documents nether seal during nan 2nd proceedings to forestall them – aliases media sum based connected them – from influencing nan jury.

Dunlop said that aft Herman’s death, his allegations weren’t beardown capable to complaint Pisano pinch inducement to perpetrate murder. But Judge McKenna made a uncovering of truth Thursday allowing them to beryllium considered successful Pisano’s sentencing.

“The rules of evidence, aliases astatine slightest nan rules of hearsay, do not use astatine a sentencing proceeding successful total, truthful we were capable to present that accusation astatine sentencing, moreover though it couldn’t needfully travel retired astatine trial,” she said.

Dunlop said nan victims’ families had spent a mixed six months watching Pisano’s 2 tests until jurors yet arrived astatine November’s verdict.

“I cognize that that was heartbreaking for them,” she said. “And it was conscionable really, really bully to person had this section yet closed for them.”

Fitzgerald, Pisano’s attorney, wasn’t instantly disposable for remark Friday.

Prosecutors said successful their connection that McKenna recovered Pisano to beryllium a “worst offender” successful nan murders of Cook, Hartman and McCreadie, saying that Pisano would person killed anyone successful his measurement arsenic he near nan crime scene. McKenna besides cited organization condemnation and isolation arsenic factors successful handing down nan maximum condemnation against Pisano.