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  • The Curious Case of Confessed Wife-Killer Charles Cannon
    2026/04/22
    I’ve shared the statistics many times. Alaska repeatedly ranks as one of the most dangerous states in the U.S. for women. This statistic has been accurate since agencies began keeping records, and it was likely true long before anyone started tracking such information. Historically, spousal abuse was often overlooked and considered a private matter between a husband and his wife. However, even in Alaska in the 1950s, surely the authorities and the courts would have arrested, tried, and put a husband in jail for life if he murdered his wife and then confessed. Wouldn’t they? Maybe – or maybe not. Consider the case of Charles Cannon, who confessed in 1955 to killing his wife, Ruth. Sources “1953 Inauguration.” n,d, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home. “Cannon, accused slayer, is freed by grand jury.” December 21, 1955. Anchorage Daily Times. Hopkins, Kyle. “One woman died on an Alaska mayor’s property. Then another. No one has ever been charged.” November 11, 2023. Anchorage Daily News. “Jury frees murder suspect.” December 21, 1955. Anchorage Daily News. “Murderer re-acts crime.” September 19, 1955. Anchorage Daily News. “Police hunt woman missing since April 1.” July 19, 1955. Anchorage Daily Times. Reamer, David. “He reenacted his wife’s killing in 1955 and confessed – but a grand jury refused to indict him.” November 26, 2023. Anchorage Daily News.” “Trapper says he killed wife.” September 28, 1955. Anchorage Daily Times. ______________________ Read More Stories of Murder and Mystery in Alaska Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier and receive updates, bonus episodes, and more. ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Subscribe to Robin’s free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska. Join her on: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com Check out her books at Amazon Send me an email: robinbarefield76@gmail.com ___________________________________________ Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club. Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members. · An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is 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! Visit the Store
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    20 分
  • Brilliant but Violent: The Birdman of Alcatraz
    2026/05/06
    Alcatraz prison in California, built on a small, rocky island in the Bay of San Francisco, operated from the time of the US Civil War in the 1860s until it was closed in 1963. The island’s remote location made it the perfect site for a prison, but this location also made it expensive to maintain, and the cost of maintenance finally led to its closure. During the years it operated, Alcatraz housed many infamous prisoners including Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly, but the one prisoner whose nickname is synonymous with the prison is The Birdman of Alcatraz. Why am I telling you about Alcatraz and its prisoners? Because this episode is about Robert Stroud, better known as the Birdman of Alcatraz. You may not associate Stroud with Alaska, but he was originally incarcerated for a murder he committed in Juneau. Robert Stroud spent 54 years in prison, and he was in solitary confinement for 42 of those years. He is one of Alaska’s most famous criminals. Sources: Bovsun, Mara. November 10, 2019. “Justice story: How the ‘Birdman of Alcatraz’ soared to fame.” New York Daily News. Brennan, Tom. 2001. Murder at 40 Below. Chapter 4: “Birdman of Alcatraz.” Kenmore, WA: Epicenter Press. Ott, Tim. August 20, 2020. “Robert Stroud.” Biography. “Robert Franklin Stroud.” n.d. Murderpedia. __________ ______________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier and receive updates, bonus episodes, and more. ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Subscribe to Robin’s free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska. Join her on: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com Check out her books at Amazon Send me an email: robinbarefield76@gmail.com ___________________________________________ Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club. Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members. · An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is 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! Visit the Store
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    24 分
  • The Serial Killer Who Hid in Alaska
    2026/04/08
    Retirees Robert and Dagmar Linton eagerly embarked on a long-planned camping trip in the Pacific Northwest, and they promised their children they would be careful. The Lintons did not express any concerns about their journey, but Dagmar ensured their wills and affairs were in order before they left home. Was she just cautious, or did she have a premonition that something terrible would befall them? Her son and daughter would always wonder whether their mother had concerns, and they would never know exactly what had happened to their parents. Sources: Charles T. Sinclair. Murderpedia. “Devil’s Den.” Season 2, Episode 3. Ice Cold Killers. McMillan, Penelope. “Suspect in murder spree takes secrets to the grave: serial killings: detectives are convinced the man who died in Alaska cell left trail of bodies across west.” November 23, 1990. Los Angeles Times. Smith, Pete. 1-18-2016. “2015 coin shop murders add to a long list of tragic ends for the hobby.” January 18, 2016. Coinweek.com. _______ Read More Stories of Murder and Mystery in Alaska Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier and receive updates, bonus episodes, and more. ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Subscribe to Robin’s free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska. Join her on: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com Check out her books at Amazon Send me an email: robinbarefield76@gmail.com ___________________________________________ Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club. Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members. · An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is 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! Visit the Store
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    26 分
  • Did Newton Lambert Murder the Benolkens?
    2026/03/11
    Who brutally raped and murdered James and Anne Benolken in their Juneau apartment in 1982? Nearly four decades later, many questions remain unanswered. Sources Starr, Douglas. 12-1-2013. Do police interrogation techniques produce false confessions? Episode 4: The Benolken Murders, the police investigation and Special Agent Malone Leo Helmar. Murder Alaska Episode 2: Introduction to the Benolken Case. Available at: Episode 3: About the brutal murders of James and Anne Benolken in Juneau, Alaska in 1982 Who Really Murdered the Benolkens? KTOO Public Media Juneau man wants DNA tested, seeks review of nearly 30-year old homicide conviction. KTOO Public Media. Integrity of preserved evidence from Benolken double homicide is questioned Court to issue opinion on possible DNA testing in decades-old Juneau homicide. KTOO Public Media. Matt Miller. Juneau, Alaska (KINY) The Alaska Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling denying DNA evidence in the case of Newton Patric Lambert Friday Saturday, November 17th, 2018 8:13 Who is Michael P. Malone? Corrupt F.B.I. Agent’s Testimony Sent Innocent Man to Prison; Donald Eugene Gates was Convicted of Rape-Murder He Did Not Commit. ____________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net Subscribe to Robin’s free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska. Join her on: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com Check out her books at Amazon Send me an email: robinbarefield76@gmail.com ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club. Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members. · An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is 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! Visit the Store
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    24 分
  • Alaska Ghost Stories
    2026/03/25
    Considering Alaska’s violent past as a frontier territory, it’s not surprising to find restless spirits roaming the state. Sources “Alaska.” N.d. The Paranormal World Database. Cobb, Deborah. “The tale of Fannie and the Van Gilder Hotel in Alaska.” December 6, 2022. Ghostlandia.media. DeMarban, Alex. “Feels like teen spirit and other phantoms in UAA’s Wendy Williamson Auditorium.” October 31, 2013. Anchorage Daily News. Ellis-Knapp, Jody. Ghosts of Alaska. 2009. Atglen, Pennsylvania Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. “Kennicott Mine & Ghost Town Walking Tour Points.” N.d. Alaska.org. O’Harra, Doug. “The lonely lady haunting West High School in Anchorage, Alaska. October 30, 2013. Anchorage Daily News. “Van Gilder Hotel.” N.d. Alaska.org. Williamson, Avery. “The haunting of the Wendy Williamson Auditorium.” October 24, 2023. Thenorthernlight.org. ____________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net Subscribe to Robin’s free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska. Join her on: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com Check out her books at Amazon Send me an email: robinbarefield76@gmail.com ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club. Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members. · An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is 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! Visit the Store
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    20 分
  • Disaster in the Bering Sea
    2026/02/11
    On Valentine’s Day 1983, two new, beautiful sister ships, the Americus and the Altair sank in the Bering Sea in calm water while on their way to the king crab grounds near the Pribilof Islands. Fourteen men lost their lives in the worst disaster in the history of U.S. commercial fishing. A massive investigation ensued to determine what happened to the boats and what could be done to make commercial fishing safer. Those lost: The Americus: George Nations Brent Boles Larry Littlefield Rich Awes Victor Bass Jeff Nations Paul Northcutt The Altair: Ronald Beirnes Jeff Martin Lark Breckenridge Troy Gudbranson Randy Harvey Brad Melvin Tony Vienhage Sources: Much of this episode is based on the book Lost At Sea by Patrick Dillon. I’ve read this book three times, and I highly recommend it. Dillon extensively researched the losses of the Americus and Altair. He talked to fishermen, families of those lost, investigators, marine architects, and many other experts and observers. He tells a heart-felt and fact-filled story, not only about the “A” boats but about the commercial fishing industry and the politics of commercial fishing in the early 1980s. There’s so much more in his book than I’ve told you here, and if you’re like me, you won’t be able to put it down once you start reading it. Twenty Years After A-Boat Disasters, Scars Remain in Community. Available at: https://djcoregon.com/news/2003/02/13/twenty-years-after-aboat-disaster-scars-remain-in-fishing-community/ United States Coast Guard Marine Casualty Report. Available at: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/docs/boards/amerialtair.pdf _______________ Is a Serial Killer Stalking Women on Kodiak Island? ___________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net Subscribe to Robin’s free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska. Join her on: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com Check out her books at Amazon Send me an email: robinbarefield76@gmail.com ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club. Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members. · An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is 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! Visit the Store
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    42 分
  • Robert William “Willie” Pickton: Pig Farmer and Serial Killer
    2026/02/25
    Those who knew Willie Pickton described him as mentally slow and socially awkward. They said he smelled like the pig farm where he lived and wore dirty clothes. Some considered him a friend, but others found him creepy. Only a few suspected what Willie did in his spare time. Sources Butts, Edward. “Robert Pickton Case.” October 8, 2020. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Cameron, Stevie. On the Farm: Robert William Picton and the Tragic Story of Vancouver’s Missing Women. 2010. Toronto: Vintage Canada. “Canadian serial killer Robert Pickton, who brought victims to pig farm, is dead after prison assault.” June 1, 2024. NBC News. Clarke, Malcolm. The Pig Farm. 2011. IMDb. __________ Who Murdered a Floatplane Pilot in the Middle of the Kodiak Wilderness? _________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net Subscribe to Robin’s free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska. Join her on: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com Check out her books at Amazon Send me an email: robinbarefield76@gmail.com ___________ Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club. Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members. · An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is 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! Visit the Store
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    34 分
  • FTA: Where’s Joe?
    2026/01/14
    The endless supply of larger-than-life characters in Alaska makes the state fertile ground for reality television shows and movies based on true stories. If you made a list of the strong, fascinating individuals in the history of this vast state, though, Joe Vogler would rank near the top. Picture a sharply dressed man, wearing a fedora, a bolo tie, and a plaid flannel shirt while he stands in front of a group of rowdy people and proclaims his controversial opinions in a booming voice. Joe Vogler developed a large following of folks who agreed with his politics, but he also made many enemies. When he disappeared from his remote home, people wondered if an enemy had killed him, or if the murderer was someone who claimed to be his friend and colleague? Sources Brenan, Tom. Cold Crime. 2005. Epicenter Press. Death of a Maverick. Coppock, Michael. “On Joe Vogler, an independent Alaska.”March 14, 2008. Juneau Empire. Ice Cold Killers. Season 2, Episode 6. “Guns, Gold, and Murder.” ______________ Why did a Floatplane Explode Over Kodiak Island? __________________ https://youtu.be/7Fv52Bf8yfY ___________________ Join the Last Frontier Club’s Free Tier ______ Robin Barefield lives in the wilderness on Kodiak Island, where she and her husband own a remote lodge. She has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife biology and is a wildlife-viewing and fishing guide. Robin has published six novels: Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, Karluk Bones, Massacre at Bear Creek Lodge, and The Ultimate Hunt. She has also published two non-fiction books: Kodiak Island Wildlife and Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. She draws on her love and appreciation of the Alaska wilderness as well as her scientific background when writing. Robin invites you to join her at her website: https://robinbarefield.com, and while you are there, sign up for her free monthly newsletter about true crime in Alaska. Robin also narrates a podcast, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier. You can find it at: https://murder-in-the-last-frontier.blubrry.net Subscribe to Robin’s free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska. Join her on: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit her website at http://robinbarefield.com Check out her books at Amazon Send me an email: robinbarefield76@gmail.com ___________________________________________________________________________________ Would you like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club. Each month, Robin will provide one or more of the following to club members. · An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier is 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! Visit the Store
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    23 分