Alaska is a land of mystery, danger, stunning beauty, and valuable resources. Over the decades, fortune seekers have been drawn to Alaska in search of gold, oil, fish, and crab. These fortune seekers are usually young men with little to lose and big dreams of becoming rich. Throughout Alaska’s history, a wave of crime has followed each economic boom, and in my podcast, I will tell you these stories of crime while I share a little about the rich cultural history and geography of this complex state I call home.
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Maximum Security Part 1: The Brutal Murder of Shirley Koonz
Alaska is a dangerous place; many things can kill you here. Vicious predators, extreme temperatures, treacherous terrain, raging rivers, violent storms, and the churning ocean describe a few of the challenges facing humans in the 49th state. Wilderness dangers did not worry Shirley Koonz, though. She'd spent most of her adult life in the Alaska wilderness, and along with her husband, she’d raised her six kids on a one-hundred-and-sixty-acre homestead. Shirley knew how to survive in the Alaska wilderness, but when circumstances forced her to move to Fairbanks, Shirley lost her footing. She didn't fear wild animals, but she was wary of humans, and unfortunately, her instincts proved correct. Not long after moving into her double-wide trailer on the edge of Fairbanks, a monster entered her home and stabbed her 26 times. Sources Homicide probers seek clues in stabbing death. 6-14-1988. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Stabbing death stymies investigators. 6-24-1988. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Capps, Kris. 7-1-1988. Jury indicts man in death of Koonz. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Marcy to stand trial in Koonz murder case.7-2-1988. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Gale, Lin. 7-7-1988. Neighbor linked to Koonz murder. The Pioneer. All-Alaska Weekly. Capps, Kris. 11-29-1988. State describes its case in Koonz murder trial. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Capps, Kris. 11-30-1988. Evidence in Marcy trial aired. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Capps, Kris. 12-1-1988. Marcy on tape, tells of knifing victim once. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Capps, Kris. 12-2-1988. Marcy offers no defense nor are witnesses called. Fairbanks Daily News Miner. Capps, Kris. 12-3-1988. Jury convicts Marcy of murdering Koonz. Fairbanks Daily News Miner. Farneski, Anna. 2-1-1989. Marcy gets 139 years for murder. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Marcy gets life for murder. 2-2-1989. The Pioneer. All Alaska Weekly. If you would like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club. Each month I will provide one or more of the following to club members. · An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier available only for club members. · Behind the scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness. · Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska · Merchandise or discounts on MMLF merchandise or handmade glass jewelry. Become a Patron! _______________________________________________________________________________________ Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise. _______________________________________________________________________________________ Subscribe to my free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska. Join me on: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit my website at http://robinbarefield.com Check out my books at Author Masterminds ___________________________________________________________________________________ If you would like to check out one of my novels, visit The Readers and Writers Book Club, where you can read Murder Over Kodiak - Free! While you are there, take a look at some of the other free book serializations by wonderful authors in nearly every genre you can imagine. Robin Barefield is the author of four Alaska wilderness mystery novels, Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, and Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge. Sign up to subscribe to her free, monthly newsletter on true murder and mystery in Alaska. For an exciting experience, watch short videos from some of my fellow Author Mastermind authors. Two of the videos are mine! Gog and Magog https://youtu.be/bvpfYW85MtA Gorgon https://youtu.be/PT_h8Ojs8jw Heart of Abigail https://youtu.be/SoDk94zvVFE Impossible Crime Series https://youtu.be/cCULH4WMyYA Ingress https://youtu.