DS2021
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Do we know anything about this??
Found Deceased AK - Kathleen Henry, 30, video of murder victim found, Anchorage, 9 Oct 2019 *Arrest*
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Curious Me
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My old memory isn't working right now. I have to go eat a late dinner, but I remember there was question if he had also killed a woman named Shirley Skeek. This thread (link below) on Page 22 we discussed it, Post 433 and several posts around then. AFAIK, Shirley's body was not found.
www.websleuths.com
I know this doesn't answer your question fully. I can only guess her ID was planted / found on another dead body, but that'd mean another murder? As you can read below, there was a mix up of when Veronica Abouchuk was last seen. I think they thought she had been seen at Bean's Café where many struggling to survive frequented. Anyways, posting this so people get to know these women he killed.
Found Deceased - AK - Kathleen Henry, 30, video of murder victim found, Anchorage, 9 Oct 2019 *Arrest*
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? He booked the hotel room? Did he book it ahead of time? Did the hotel's CCTV show how the victim entered the hotel? Had Brian worked at that particular hotel? Did he plan in advance on picking up some woman from Bean's Café to...
www.websleuths.com
I know this doesn't answer your question fully. I can only guess her ID was planted / found on another dead body, but that'd mean another murder? As you can read below, there was a mix up of when Veronica Abouchuk was last seen. I think they thought she had been seen at Bean's Café where many struggling to survive frequented. Anyways, posting this so people get to know these women he killed.
Veronica was a mother and a sister.
Man heard in strangling video charged in 2nd death in Alaska
Anchorage police announced Thursday that Brian Smith, left, is now the suspect in a second homicide. The victim has been identified as 52-year-old Veronica Abouchuk, pictured right.
Veronica Abouchuk: Remembering the Murdered Alaska Woman
Police say Brian David Smith, the suspect accused of murdering Kathleen Henry, also murdered Veronica Abouchuk. Both women were Alaska natives.
heavy.com
Abouchuk’s body was found in April 2019, but she wasn’t identified until October.
Police said in an October 2019 news conference that the information released previously about the café was not accurate....
Police confirmed in a news conference that Veronica Abouchuk was the second victim. Her family reported her missing in February 2019. She had last been seen by her family in July 2018, Chief Justin Doll revealed. Police said the previous information that she had last been seen in October 2018 in Anchorage was “later proven incorrect.” Throughout the months that passed, officers continued to look into her case.
In April of 2019, authorities found the human remains along an Anchorage highway. The remains were sent to a medical examiner’s office. After Smith’s arrest in the Henry case, authorities determined that he allegedly also killed Abouchuk, and they identified those remains as her.
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Curious Me
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Trial set to start for man accused in killings of 2 Alaska Native women
Brian Smith will be tried starting Monday for the deaths of Kathleen Henry and Veronica Abouchuk. Henry’s death was captured in a gruesome video and photos allegedly recorded by Smith.
A woman stole a memory card from a truck. The gruesome footage is now key to an Alaska murder trial
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A woman with a lengthy criminal history including theft, assault and prostitution got into a truck with a man who had picked her up for a “date” near downtown Anchorage. When...
www.winnipegfreepress.com
Where are you? It's finally happening! Jury Selection now, then the Trial is said to maybe last 4 wks.
Curious Me
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February 5, 2024 1 hr. ago
www.adn.com
[...]
As Smith murder trial begins, a new explanation of how digital card showing killing got to Anchorage police
A ruling on the eve of Brian Smith’s trial reveals a sex worker stole the SD card containing video of a killing from his truck before turning it over to police.
...Prosecutors allege he preyed on vulnerable women, at one point telling Henry she was being “serial killed.”
[...]
(About the "found" memory card) The real story: A sex worker picked up by Smith rifled through the center console of his truck while he withdrew money from an ATM, taking the card, the motion filing said. Later, the woman watched at least some of the video and looked at some of the photos, the motion said. The card contained videos and images of the slaying of Henry, as well as attempts at disposing of her body afterward, prosecutors contend.
[...]
During jury selection Smith sat quietly between his attorneys, clad in a blue suit and tie, occasionally taking notes.
Jury selection is expected to continue Tuesday.
[...]
During jury selection Smith sat quietly between his attorneys, clad in a blue suit and tie, occasionally taking notes.
Jury selection is expected to continue Tuesday.
cvaldez1975
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i remember reading about it when this woman was killed wow
MeadowMuffin
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Opening Statements were made today
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A man accused of murdering two Alaska Native women recorded images of both of his victims, and the break in the case came when a third woman stole the man’s phone and provided police with photos and videos of one of the killings, a prosecutor told jurors during opening statements in the case Tuesday.
Brian Steven Smith faces 14 counts, including first- and second-degree murder, assault and tampering with evidence, in the deaths of Kathleen Jo Henry and Veronica Abouchuk.
Authorities said he strangled Henry, 30, in an Anchorage hotel room in September 2019, and that when they questioned him about it he volunteered that he had also killed Abouchuk, who was 52 when her family reported her missing in February 2019.
The woman who provided the images, Valerie Casler, initially told police she found a memory card containing gruesome images while walking down a street in Anchorage. She then changed her story, saying that Smith had picked her up for a “date,” that she stole a memory card when he got out of his truck to use an ATM, and that she had initially lied about it because she did not want to be arrested for theft or attempted prostitution.
She changed her story again recently, Ayer said, saying she had stolen Smith’s phone, copied the images onto a digital memory card and then lost the phone itself — along with its original photos and videos.
Investigators did find some images on a flash drive in Smith's home that he had deleted, but they were able to recover. These images showed Ms Henry alive and after death. Thank goodness for these images, because there are no words to describe the handling of the original evidence, imo.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A man accused of murdering two Alaska Native women recorded images of both of his victims, and the break in the case came when a third woman stole the man’s phone and provided police with photos and videos of one of the killings, a prosecutor told jurors during opening statements in the case Tuesday.
Brian Steven Smith faces 14 counts, including first- and second-degree murder, assault and tampering with evidence, in the deaths of Kathleen Jo Henry and Veronica Abouchuk.
Authorities said he strangled Henry, 30, in an Anchorage hotel room in September 2019, and that when they questioned him about it he volunteered that he had also killed Abouchuk, who was 52 when her family reported her missing in February 2019.
The woman who provided the images, Valerie Casler, initially told police she found a memory card containing gruesome images while walking down a street in Anchorage. She then changed her story, saying that Smith had picked her up for a “date,” that she stole a memory card when he got out of his truck to use an ATM, and that she had initially lied about it because she did not want to be arrested for theft or attempted prostitution.
She changed her story again recently, Ayer said, saying she had stolen Smith’s phone, copied the images onto a digital memory card and then lost the phone itself — along with its original photos and videos.
Investigators did find some images on a flash drive in Smith's home that he had deleted, but they were able to recover. These images showed Ms Henry alive and after death. Thank goodness for these images, because there are no words to describe the handling of the original evidence, imo.
legalmomma
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Just found this case...watching here
Curious Me
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^^^ Thank You so much for finding it, @legalmomma. We can watch the Trial. 
I wish I could figure out how to stop the chat showing up on the split screen. With the screen split in thirds, it's hard to see the actual courtroom. I see a woman sitting way in the back, want to know if it's his spouse.
This is just a short look at the courtroom for Opening Statements. It's from an official news source.
Alaska's News Source I wish I could figure out how to stop the chat showing up on the split screen. With the screen split in thirds, it's hard to see the actual courtroom. I see a woman sitting way in the back, want to know if it's his spouse.This is just a short look at the courtroom for Opening Statements. It's from an official news source.
Jury selection in Brian Smith case begins
Alaska's News Source
Curious Me
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YOU CAN ALSO GO HERE TO WATCH THE TRIAL LIVE:
Live coverage of the Brian Smith murder trial
The jury trial of Brian Smith, who is accused of murdering and taking videos and photos of the deaths of two Alaska Native women between 2017 and 2019, officially began Feb. 6 in Anchorage court.
Curious Me
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Trial Live - note it keeps cutting in and out at times- this is in my own wording as close as possible to what is being said as I'm watching.
Valerie Casler is up on the stand testifying. This is the woman who took his phone from his truck (where the memory card story comes from). She admits to having been a drinker and how she used to smoke crack cocaine. Later, said the drugs didn't make her confused, but mainly kept her awake.
Brian Smith picked her up in his truck. Proceeded to drive around together, parked hung out for 1 1/2 hrs., then drove around again. (Don't know what they did.) She said she was drinking vodka drinks. She doesn't think he was drinking. He told her he was going to be leaving town for a couple of weeks. Asked her if she needed money. She was living in a tent in the woods. He said he had to go to an ATM to get some money. She waited in the truck, dropped her phone, while looking for it she saw his phone. Seemed to notice it had something on it. She put his phone in her pocket.
What stood out about him? His accent, sounded European. He drops her off, she goes back to her tent with the phone in her pocket. Charges it at the mattress store. She was coming down from a binge, had been drinking and using drugs, then she saw what was on the phone. There were about 46 pics. There's a video, she could see and hear the horrible beating and torture of Kathleen Henry. Valerie, the witness, said it made her sick to see that, especially upon seeing the woman was someone she recognized-- they had both been released from a jail on the same day.
Valerie stole a SD card from Fred Myer's store, and put it in the stolen phone of his, and saved pics one at a time, then the videos she saved onto the SD card. She turned it over to LE, and named it recognized the hotel. Plus right there was also his name, room number, and hotel somewhere on the pics / video! (Feed cut out again, so I don't know what she did with his original phone.) Break in Live Feed now.
Valerie Casler is up on the stand testifying. This is the woman who took his phone from his truck (where the memory card story comes from). She admits to having been a drinker and how she used to smoke crack cocaine. Later, said the drugs didn't make her confused, but mainly kept her awake.
Brian Smith picked her up in his truck. Proceeded to drive around together, parked hung out for 1 1/2 hrs., then drove around again. (Don't know what they did.) She said she was drinking vodka drinks. She doesn't think he was drinking. He told her he was going to be leaving town for a couple of weeks. Asked her if she needed money. She was living in a tent in the woods. He said he had to go to an ATM to get some money. She waited in the truck, dropped her phone, while looking for it she saw his phone. Seemed to notice it had something on it. She put his phone in her pocket.
What stood out about him? His accent, sounded European. He drops her off, she goes back to her tent with the phone in her pocket. Charges it at the mattress store. She was coming down from a binge, had been drinking and using drugs, then she saw what was on the phone. There were about 46 pics. There's a video, she could see and hear the horrible beating and torture of Kathleen Henry. Valerie, the witness, said it made her sick to see that, especially upon seeing the woman was someone she recognized-- they had both been released from a jail on the same day.
Valerie stole a SD card from Fred Myer's store, and put it in the stolen phone of his, and saved pics one at a time, then the videos she saved onto the SD card. She turned it over to LE, and named it recognized the hotel. Plus right there was also his name, room number, and hotel somewhere on the pics / video! (Feed cut out again, so I don't know what she did with his original phone.) Break in Live Feed now.
Curious Me
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No judgments of this woman please. Valerie Casler is a hero. There would've been many more women Brian Smith would have killed if she had not turned over that SD card to LE. She is responsible for providing the key evidence needed to stop this extremely diabolical and cruel serial killer. Thank You Valerie.
whiterhino
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Wow I missed a lot bc I somehow unfollowed a bunch of threads.
Glad to see this is finally in motion! Ty @Curious Me
Glad to see this is finally in motion! Ty @Curious Me
Curious Me
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Not getting the Alaska News Source feed right now, don't know why, so using the youtube one posted above.
Now, a witness named Kahn Meas on direct is talking about finding a head (a skull) when out mushroom hunting. He was with some of his family members. After work he called the police. He couldn't tell them how to direct them to him, so they told him to just keep talking and they'd find him via the phone connection. Police came and Kahn Meas took them to the skull.
Now, a witness named Kahn Meas on direct is talking about finding a head (a skull) when out mushroom hunting. He was with some of his family members. After work he called the police. He couldn't tell them how to direct them to him, so they told him to just keep talking and they'd find him via the phone connection. Police came and Kahn Meas took them to the skull.
WyomingSkyAngel
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She is a hero. Anyone else would have been too terrified to come forward.
Blessed be Valerie!!!!!!
Curious Me
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There you are @whiterhino. Glad you got here. This trial may last 3-4 weeks. Brian Smith is going down finally.
Apparently, Jay uses the Court TV feed, it's not up now, maybe why the Alaska News Source lost feed, so Jay (JBN) has another feed he been using. He mentioned getting a "Red Hand Emoji"... red they say is calling back the missing spirits of the women lost.
Apparently, Jay uses the Court TV feed, it's not up now, maybe why the Alaska News Source lost feed, so Jay (JBN) has another feed he been using. He mentioned getting a "Red Hand Emoji"... red they say is calling back the missing spirits of the women lost.
Curious Me
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Yes! That's why the Red Hand Emoji is important.
Two sisters, two murders - but only one arrest
The arrest of Brian Smith helped solve the disappearance of Veronica Abouchuk as a murder, but years before her death, someone murdered her sister, Martha Toms. How their grief-stricken family is staying strong.
Joanne Sakar and Natasha Gamache, supporters of Veronica Abouchuk sit at Brian Smith's arraignment wearing red hands over their faces, symbols of a nationwide movement to improve the startling statistics about missing and murdered indigenous women. (KTUU)
Curious Me
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Not getting current feed. This is from Opening Statements yesterday.
www.alaskasnewssource.com
In the courtroom during Opening Statements.
Warning--
Please be aware that this case and trial
has trigger warnings" for others that
may find the graphic descriptions
upsetting.
Veronica Abouchuk's sister had to leave the courtroom after trying to listen to the Opening Statements containing descriptions.
Live coverage of the Brian Smith murder trial
The jury trial of Brian Smith, who is accused of murdering and taking videos and photos of the deaths of two Alaska Native women between 2017 and 2019, officially began Feb. 6 in Anchorage court.
In the courtroom during Opening Statements. Warning--
Please be aware that this case and trial
has trigger warnings" for others that
may find the graphic descriptions
upsetting.
Veronica Abouchuk's sister had to leave the courtroom after trying to listen to the Opening Statements containing descriptions.
Curious Me
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On the stand now is Witness State Trooper Ryan Anderson who was called out to the wooded area to investigate the skull being found. (We aren't seeing the exhibits.) Exhibits 1-6 are photos he took of the skull, and Exhibits 7,8, 9 google images of area. The skull was submitted to the ME office, and a team was sent out with dogs to search for the rest of the remains. The ME's office was trying to identify the skull. One of the names that eventually turned up was Veronica Abouchuk.