Man whose killings of 2 Alaska native women were recorded in stolen phone convicted

A 52-year-old South African man who was on trial in Alaska for killing two women was on Thursday (Feb 22) convicted. According to a report by the news agency Associated Press on Friday, a judge in Alaska's capital city of Anchorage returned a unanimous verdict against Brian Steven Smith after deliberating for less than two hours.

The victims were 30-year-old Kathleen Henry and 52-year-old Veronica Abouchuk. Both the women were Alaska natives. Smith was found guilty on account of 14 charges including first and second-degree murders, sexual assault as well as tampering with evidence.

The murders

Smith was arrested in Henry's murder after Valerie Casler, a sex worker, stole his mobile from his truck and discovered the footage of the 30-year-old's killing in 2019. Prosecutors said on Thursday that Casler copied the footage to a memory card and ultimately turned it over to police. She became a key witness during the trial in Anchorage.

Henry's murder happened in Sept 2019 in a room in the Marriott Hotel. The memory card contained 39 images and 12 videos. Speaking about the videos during the closing argument on Thursday, Anchorage Deputy District Attorney Heather Nobrega said, "You saw the defendant repeatedly strangle Kathleen Henry."

“You saw him step on her throat; you saw him step on her stomach. You see him fondle her and pinch her breasts. You see him poke her in the eye several times,” Nobrega added.

Henry's remains were discovered along railroad tracks near the Seward Highway by two railroad employees in Oct 2019.

Following an interrogation by detectives, the 52-year-old South African confessed to killing Abouchuk. Smith said he picked Abouchuk up in Anchorage while his wife was out of town. He said she smelled, but Abouchuk refused to take a shower when he asked.

The man became upset, retrieved a pistol from the garage, and shot her in the head. Smith told the police where Abouchuk's body was left, and authorities later found a skull with a bullet wound there.

For Abouchuk's murder, Smith faces 30 to 99 years, the report said.

'He had another life...'

Smith’s wifeStephanie Bissland attended the three-week-long murder trial. Bissland said, “He was very good for me, but he had another life, I guess.” She added that her husband's problems were likely exacerbated by heavy drinking.

Bissland said that when Smith was first arrested, he was in a very dark place. “He got better,” she said.

Different versions of memory card was found

Over the years, Casler has changed her story about how she came into possession of the memory card. She first claimed she found the card, labelled “Murder at the Midtown Marriott” on the ground.

Later, she claimed that she stole the card from the centre console of Smith’s pickup when they were on what she described as a “date,” but then changed it to say she stole Smith’s phone from the truck.

(With inputs from agencies)