Found Deceased AK - Kathleen Henry, 30, video of murder victim found, Anchorage, 9 Oct 2019 *Arrest*

[Curious Me]

No court today, but BS sent a letter from prison. Obviously, the Defense wants to create question of the credibility of Valerie Casler and the SD memory card turned over to LE because, I would guess, they want to have charges dismissed on a "technicality". Don't worry, I can't see it happening.​

NOUN - a point of law or a small detail of a set of rules:
"their convictions were overturned on a technicality"

Ah-ha, we find out that Alicia Youngblood was a former girlfriend of his who went to LE, but ended up committing suicide. BS describes that she's "native" so no one cares (that's his thinking probably when abusing and killing women considered indigenous from the area) I don't know if any of what Alicia Youngblood told LE before her death will be allowed in. Hope so.​

Watch the Video too.

Accused killer Brian Smith sends letter from prison

An 11-page handwritten letter — and police reports — from accused killer Brian Smith that was delivered to Alaska’s News Source from the Anchorage Correction Complex states complaints about evidence being presented in the case against him.

www.alaskasnewssource.com

The letter begins by questioning evidence.

“I only got to read your article today. I can’t talk about the case. All I need to say is that this latest news of questionable source of the SD card is something I suspected and pointed out 4 years ago already. No one believed me. It is a very serious issue. I will let you find out for yourself. I can simply nudge you in the right direction,” Smith wrote.

The SD card has been a key piece of evidence and the most argued-over issue by the attorneys in the case.

Casler initially told police she had found a memory card containing the gruesome images on a street in Anchorage. She later changed her story, and Wednesday, testified that she stole Smith’s phone from his truck and that she then transferred the pictures to an SD card that she labeled “Homicide at midtown Marriott.”

Casler said she had initially lied about it because she did not want to be arrested for theft or attempted prostitution and that she was “scared.”

She also testified that she later lost the phone when she tripped while walking in the woods.

For most of the letter, Smith lays out his case against the prison system, and starting on page 9, writes about Alicia Youngblood.

In testimony presented this week, the prosecution said Youngblood, a former girlfriend of Smith, provided police with numerous tips about Smith before his arrest. The prosecutor, Anchorage District Attorney Brittany Dunlop, says Youngblood has since died by suicide.

But, Smith implies that if Youngblood is dead it was by nefarious means.

“...on 7/4/21 she allegedly committed suicide. The Anc. DA office is famous for threatening (and coaching) witnesses,” Smith wrote.

He goes on to write: “I also reported it to Det. Lee. I got no reply because Alicia is Native so no-one cares.” Detective Brendan Lee is the lead detective in the murder trial.​

BBM/RLBM/MOO

 

[whiterhino]

Yes, @whiterhino, but it's a movement, too, and very appropriate the meaning in these cases. It wasn't just because it was mentioned on the youtube channel, but that it was a visual as seen below at one of the hearings in this case.

View attachment 481736

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)​

It's an impactful visual statement.

I am very familiar with this movement. FWIW, from public to secondary school, I went to class with kids who were bused in from the reservation. They were the first ones to tell me about residential school. In fact the land the school was on, the entire area was once Indigenous land. It was the students who taught me that, not the teachers!

The Highway Of Tears in Canada is a a big part of the MMIW and the Red Dress Movement. The red hand is seen at many events.

https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/red-dress-day-what-it-is-and-how-it-began

Highway of Tears - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

REDress Project - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Curious Me]

...The Highway Of Tears in Canada is a a big part of the MMIW and the Red Dress Movement. The red hand is seen at many events.

^^^ Thank You so much for providing us with those info links, @whiterhino.

From what I gathered last Thursday, the Judge will allow the SD memory card video in if the foundation can be laid to support it's credibility. I believe the lead Detective Brendan Lee will get on the stand to lay the foundation first. Jurors may get to see the video tomorrow. We will not be allowed to see or hear it, AFAIK.​

Accused killer Brian Smith sends letter from prison

An 11-page handwritten letter — and police reports — from accused killer Brian Smith that was delivered to Alaska’s News Source from the Anchorage Correction Complex states complaints about evidence being presented in the case against him.

www.alaskasnewssource.com

...Detective Brendan Lee is the lead detective in the murder trial.
[...]
Thursday, the jury was released for the week and will return Monday.
They are expected to see the SD card video starting Monday morning.

 

[Curious Me]

Jury is not in the courtroom while this is going on. Defense is arguing that there's no proof that that's Kathleen Henry on the video. Says Casler fabricated and they can't be sure what she saw or copied onto the memory card.

Judge later agrees with what Prosecution says that the defendant, Brian Smith, admitted that's my leg, that's my d_ck, that's my stomach, my voice on the video. Remember he confessed to LE, actually bragged, so that is proof enough he's connected to the video and the dead woman.

Judge says they have found Alaskan cases to guide them about modern recordings law. Long, long details and presentation by the Judge. Comes down to Valerie Casler's testimony was a slightly different story from initially. Lied at first about how she got his phone. Later, admitted she took it from his truck, she copied it on the SD card, showed it to one or two people, decided to turn it over to the police.

The police can confirmed the evidence, laying the foundation. The police have protected the evidence in its chain of custody, so it's sufficient to show the jury and warrant admissibility.

It's up to the Jury's judgment to determine what they believe from the video, and about Casler's testimony. IN CONCLUSION, THE VIDEO IS ADMISSIBLE AND CAN BE SHOWN TO THE JURY. I don't think we'll be able to view it, but we'll probably hear about what's in the photographs and video.
​

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.

www.alaskasnewssource.com

 

[Curious Me]

In my own wording. Didn't catch the beginning. Think his name is Detective Hunter. He is giving testimony to do with images. Went to the defendant's home, naming various investigators that were involved.

One thing they found is now State's Exhibit #199 - media evidence, a blue thumb drive. He remembers it, put into evidence by Det. Davis. Some were deleted on devices, but on the thumb drive they managed to get images of Mr. Smith assaulting a woman. #52 and #53 are submitted to prove timing, and are images of what was on the tv, a news report, in the background when the assault images were taking place that helped determine the time of the assault on the thumb drive. Some time in Aug. 2018. ​

 

[Curious Me]

​

Lead Detective Brendan Lee is being called to the stand now! Been on the Homicide Unit since June 2019.

Prosecution questions to do with the SD card and his initial conversation with Ms. Casler about "finding" the card. Images of a woman being beaten, then what she thought killed. Ms. Casler showed it to a so called sister-in-law, (Tracy Thompson) then she took it to a therapist she was seeing. Ms. Casler was anxious, upset, stressed what she had seen on the videos.

He wanted to identify the female in the video, and see if any of the other LE detectives could recognize who it was. About 7 detectives were in the unit, and they reviewed video the next day... the male's accent in the video was recognized. One of the detectives recognized him, supplied a name Brian Smith, and even had his truck info on file.

Now Prosecution asking about Valerie Casler being questioned further about "finding the card", and how LE got to the truth of how she obtained the phone and later how the SD card came to be made. She said she did not alter the videos. She did show them to the S-i-L and her Doctor. Turned in the card to LE. There were 39 images and 12 videos.

They're going over the images to be submitted as Exhibits, and after a recess break, and rearranging the courtroom, the video will be played for the Jury.

The Judge wants to protect the dignity of the victim. Images of the victim being beaten, tortured, played with while she's dying, and robbed of her life and her dignity are only to be seen visually by the Jury. The Judge is really concerned about protecting the victim's, Kathleen's, dignity. He does not want any others in the courtroom other than the Jury to see these images. AFAIK, other can hear the audio in the video, but others can not visually see the images. ​

 

[Curious Me]

Warning-- Graphic descriptions of the images.

Back from the recess break. We can hear Detective Brendan Lee describing exactly what each image depicts - they can see the carpeting, and determine the room. Then, the images reveal Kathleen's body, looking down on her body on the floor, her face beaten, lots of close ups of her private parts and her injuries... I can't go on transcribing what these images show. It's just too sad and tragic. Eventually, we hear there is the luggage cart, and a peek at Kathleen's head hanging off the luggage cart being brought to the truck with the license plate number in view, happens to be the truck belonging to Brian Smith. Brian Smith is a cruel, sick (serial) killer and I only hope he is kept in prison until he dies in prison.​

 

[Curious Me]

Videos now -- Warning again-- even more graphic, some with audio we can hear. Putting this within a Spoiler because it's that bad. It's awful.
​

Spoiler: Audio of what is going on in videos

A video of Kathleen being strangled, and the only sound you might hear is her gasping in this one video. A hand is visible in the video, strangling her.

Later, a male voice with a British accent is taunting her to face the camera, and calling her names... it's extremely degrading and cruel and he's trying to make her die on camera. Kathleen making sounds, crying it sounds. It's awful. I can't imagine how the Jury can stand to watch the videos. Brian Smith made these videos of himself killing a woman. It goes on and on apparently. Twenty hrs. later, if you survive this, I'm going to F-you up so badly. Calling her names, taunting, telling her to die. It's time to finish this job, Btch. You can see blood coming from Henry's mouth, he's playing with her. I can hear some of this. Awful. ​

​

 

[Curious Me]

Watching and listening to the trial here today.

Spoiler: More Graphic Audio from the Videos

More Graphic Audio A green string around her neck, BS going off about immigration, at some point grabs her hands and makes her hit herself.

In my own words what I can hear on this audio being played in the courtroom. I can hear her crying, he's making fun of her. Calling her the btch word in almost every sentence. People don't know how to die, he complains, something about she ruined his evening. Taunting, "You die. You die." He says "In my movies, everybody ends up dying." These videos should be enough to send this man to h3ll forever. The Jurors may be traumatized from this trial. ​

​

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.

www.alaskasnewssource.com

 

[Curious Me]

Rest in Peace, Kathleen Henry.

 

[Curious Me]

Recess Break over. Detective Lee dismissed and will be called by Defense to cross examine later.

A new witness called. She was a Sgt. (Cross) for the Homicide Dept. at the time of 2019 when the body of Kathleen Henry was found. She assigned detectives to certain tasks, etc., She heard and saw the initial interview with Brian Smith (at the airport), and heard him confess to killing a 2nd victim. He described his 2nd victims hair style. The Sgt. gave orders to collect some photos of missing women. One is Veronica Abouchuk. They showed the photos to Brian Smith and he pointed out Veronica as the other woman he killed. SMH the man is a Demon. MOO
​

 

[Curious Me]

Today was an important day in the courtroom with those images and videos being played for the Jury. Judge wants to break for the day, but before that there's one very short witness testimony. Didn't catch his name correctly, Gary, and he worked with Brian Smith at the Marriott as his immediate supervisor, and friend. Brian was late to work,... Supervisor called and texted him. Brian texts back he forgot to set alarm, said he'd be there, but still didn't show up soon. I believe this was the first day he picked up Kathleen. No cross by Defense. Judge dismissing courtroom for the day.​

 

[MeadowMuffin]

Curious Me, again thank you for reporting back to us.

Trigger warning, SA.



First, you are correct about the jurors being affected by this. I was a juror in a case where a man SA'd his girlfriend with a vegetable peeler. You can't talk about these horrible acts with anyone, you can't unload it in your mind, you have to hold it in until you're allowed to deliberate with fellow jurors. It's an awful stress and strain on a person. This was only a 2 or 3 day trial, I had difficulty sleeping and thinking. I can't imagine how these jurors will fare for weeks until it is over.

I can't find a link to this, it's been too many years, but when BS was newly arrested it was reported that the reason detectives knew his voice was because his black truck had been reported stolen. At the time I questioned it to myself, because a homicide detective wouldn't investigate a stolen truck. Did anyone else read this? I'll have to say this is therefore IMO.

I did listen to part of the testimony today, I heard the detective describe the photos they were looking at and heard maybe 5 videos. It's too much to bear, her crying and making noises, and him very calmly it seems, telling her to die and that she is interfering with his drinking time. He is one of the worst persons to have walked this earth.

 

[Curious Me]

I was a juror in a case where a man SA'd his girlfriend with a vegetable peeler. You can't talk about these horrible acts with anyone, you can't unload it in your mind, you have to hold it in until you're allowed to deliberate with fellow jurors. It's an awful stress and strain on a person. This was only a 2 or 3 day trial, I had difficulty sleeping and thinking. I can't imagine how these jurors will fare for weeks until it is over.​

...telling her to die and that she is interfering with his drinking time. He is one of the worst persons to have walked this earth.​

Thank You for posting. I feel less alone knowing others are watching this trial too. I know I'm processing some of it right here on this thread. It's a nightmare. Oh my, @MeadowMuffin, I'm sorry you had to go through a past experience as a Juror of a very disturbing type trial. Those images can be so traumatizing.

Some experiences live on in our minds, even just hearing Kathleen suffering while BS taunted her so cruelly has me shaken. I knew it already, they even talk about it in that Heavy article below, but today hearing it myself brought on all these feelings of disgust, rage, sorrow, & more. You're right, those poor Jurors can't talk about it yet, they actually visually saw the images too. It must be so hard for them. My prayers go out to them, and all the loved ones of the women victims.

Question-- What kind of sentence is possible for BS? LWOP? Please, at least that. I'd have no problem if he could get the DP. ​

I can't find a link to this, it's been too many years, but when BS was newly arrested it was reported that the reason detectives knew his voice was because his black truck had been reported stolen. At the time I questioned it to myself, because a homicide detective wouldn't investigate a stolen truck. Did anyone else read this? I'll have to say this is therefore IMO.

Hard to remember, I know. You've been on this thread from the start too. It does sound vaguely familiar that his truck was reported stolen. You might find it if you go back to the first posts of this thread, but finding it won't be easy probably. I just tried going back to page one, and finding all these details again.

I think the license plate showed on the video, so maybe he thought reporting the truck stolen would help clear him? Oddly though, he spilled the details to LE himself right off. I wonder why he confessed so fast. Evil and dumb.

I thought they recognized his voice from Alicia Youngblood going to LE and giving them info about his truck, and maybe a recording of his voice. How could that one detective recognize his voice, or maybe a description of his voice? They say he had confessed to Youngblood other murders even in So. Africa to her. He was already married and yet had her as supposedly a gf? She saw the evil apparently. She was trying to stop this demon. She ended up killing herself.

No doubt about it, Brian S. Smith is a violent, cruel woman hater. What the heck does his wife think hearing those videos? MOO, I think she may still have trouble deleting her fond memories of them as a couple. I hope I'm wrong. All MOO​

Brian Steven Smith: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Brian Steven Smith is a man from South Africa accused of murdering a woman in Anchorage, Alaska after graphic videos and photos were found on an SD card.

heavy.com

"Authorities recognized Smith in the video because they were already investigating him for something else that they haven’t detailed, according to The Anchorage Daily News."

PUBLISHED: 15:48 EST, 11 October 2019
UPDATED: 00:58 EST, 1 November 2020

Police identify Alaska Native woman, 30, as victim in SD card killing

Stephanie Bissland, 69, the wife of Brian Smith, 48, accused of strangling to death Alaska Native Stephanie Henry, 30, in an Anchorage hotel last month, is defending and standing by him.

www.dailymail.co.uk

"Police did not disclose the nature of the previous investigation that led them to recognize Smith's accent in the memory card images."

His fb is still up.

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

 

[Marysmith]

Thank you for your updates @Curious Me - this is just so unbelievable and horrible that someone could be like this and do these things. Kathleen and Veronica suffered beyond anything we can imagine.
I don’t even know what to say. I’m sending you a huge virtual hug!

 

[whiterhino]

Thank You for posting. I feel less alone knowing others are watching this trial too. I know I'm processing some of it right here on this thread. It's a nightmare. Oh my, @MeadowMuffin, I'm sorry you had to go through a past experience as a Juror of a very disturbing type trial. Those images can be so traumatizing.

Some experiences live on in our minds, even just hearing Kathleen suffering while BS taunted her so cruelly has me shaken. I knew it already, they even talk about it in that Heavy article below, but today hearing it myself brought on all these feelings of disgust, rage, sorrow, & more. You're right, those poor Jurors can't talk about it yet, they actually visually saw the images too. It must be so hard for them. My prayers go out to them, and all the loved ones of the women victims.

Question-- What kind of sentence is possible for BS? LWOP? Please, at least that. I'd have no problem if he could get the DP.

Hard to remember, I know. You've been on this thread from the start too. It does sound vaguely familiar that his truck was reported stolen. You might find it if you go back to the first posts of this thread, but finding it won't be easy probably. I just tried going back to page one, and finding all these details again.

I think the license plate showed on the video, so maybe he thought reporting the truck stolen would help clear him? Oddly though, he spilled the details to LE himself right off. I wonder why he confessed so fast. Evil and dumb.

I thought they recognized his voice from Alicia Youngblood going to LE and giving them info about his truck, and maybe a recording of his voice. How could that one detective recognize his voice, or maybe a description of his voice? They say he had confessed to Youngblood other murders even in So. Africa to her. He was already married and yet had her as supposedly a gf? She saw the evil apparently. She was trying to stop this demon. She ended up killing herself.

No doubt about it, Brian S. Smith is a violent, cruel woman hater. What the heck does his wife think hearing those videos? MOO, I think she may still have trouble deleting her fond memories of them as a couple. I hope I'm wrong. All MOO​

Brian Steven Smith: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Brian Steven Smith is a man from South Africa accused of murdering a woman in Anchorage, Alaska after graphic videos and photos were found on an SD card.

heavy.com

"Authorities recognized Smith in the video because they were already investigating him for something else that they haven’t detailed, according to The Anchorage Daily News."

PUBLISHED: 15:48 EST, 11 October 2019
UPDATED: 00:58 EST, 1 November 2020

Police identify Alaska Native woman, 30, as victim in SD card killing

Stephanie Bissland, 69, the wife of Brian Smith, 48, accused of strangling to death Alaska Native Stephanie Henry, 30, in an Anchorage hotel last month, is defending and standing by him.

www.dailymail.co.uk

"Police did not disclose the nature of the previous investigation that led them to recognize Smith's accent in the memory card images."

His fb is still up.

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

I don't think Alaska has the DP? BSS certainly is a great case for why they should. JMO.

IIRC BSS reported the truck had been broken into? I don't recall a report of it being stolen? Wondering what, if any, items BSS reported as missing. How stupid of him tho, since someone had the SD card and knew where it came from, he incriminated himself! Even if Valerie Casler hadn't disclosed who or where she got the SD card, BSS put himself in their hands early on. Crazy!!

For various reasons I'm unable to keep up outside of WS so I appreciate the updates here! Ty!

 

[Curious Me]

Warning of graphic details in this news article from today, details in this post, and what was heard on the audio / video today in the courtroom Monday, February 12, 2024. ​

‘In my movies, everyone dies’: Anchorage jury sees horrific video evidence of woman’s slaying

On the video, a distinctive British South African accent narrates violence with turns of apparent glee and annoyance. He makes reference multiple times to the killing being filmed for some kind of an audience.

www.adn.com

On the video, a distinctive British South African accent narrates violence with turns of apparent glee and annoyance, once breaking into an AC/DC song. He refers multiple times to the killing being filmed for some kind of an audience.

“Hit the ‘like’ button,” he says at one point. “I’m trying to make a movie,” he says, while strangling Henry.

“In my movies, everyone dies,” he says theatrically at another point. “What must my followers think about you?”

He also makes reference to Henry not being his only victim.

“People need to cooperate,” he said. “People need to know when they’re being … serial-killed.”

At some points in the video, he laughs or giggles....

[...]​

Jurors looked attentive but at times disturbed by what they were seeing and hearing.

In the gallery, family members of victims listened. Some hung their heads and cried. One woman in the back row who said she’d come to “stare down” the defendant did just that, holding a steely gaze in his direction.

Smith’s wife, Stephanie Bissland, sat in the front row. She glanced at her husband as she listened.

As the videos played, Smith sat at the defense table, which had been set up to face the large screen. He rarely looked away.

 

[Curious Me]

This article below is from Oct. 2019 only days after his arrest, so his wife was probably still in a stunned shock back then. Today, his wife was in the courtroom-- "Smith’s wife, Stephanie Bissland, sat in the front row. She glanced at her husband as she listened.", (see previous post above), I wondered what she's feeling and thinking listening to the audio of him laughing while torturing a woman to death. I hope she got counseling, managed to heal some, and I hope to God she is not standing by him. All MOO

Police identify Alaska Native woman, 30, as victim in SD card killing

Stephanie Bissland, 69, the wife of Brian Smith, 48, accused of strangling to death Alaska Native Stephanie Henry, 30, in an Anchorage hotel last month, is defending and standing by him.

www.dailymail.co.uk

His wife of five years, 69-year-old Stephanie Bissland, spoke to KTUU and voiced her support for him, saying that he was 'a good husband' and that he has never exhibited any violent tendencies.

[...]

The woman said she was shocked by the allegations against her husband, who had just become a naturalized citizen on September 20, just over two weeks after Henry's murder.

'Never in my life would I have thought what they are saying is going on... I don't believe it,' the wife said.

Bissland added: 'I'll stand behind him, beside him, while he's going through this.'

MOO / BBM​

 

[legalmomma]

Defendant being interrogated today

 

[MeadowMuffin]

​

Smith’s wife, Stephanie Bissland, sat in the front row. She glanced at her husband as she listened.

As the videos played, Smith sat at the defense table, which had been set up to face the large screen. He rarely looked away.

I'm totally not surprised that BS did not look away. He wants to see his handiwork. He relives it, relishes it. It's his trophy that serial killers take with them, and he's been deprived of it for so long.

The last article I read about his wife, she felt a wife's duty was to stand by her husband. I'm sure there is so so much she never knew about him, must be quite a shock. Finding out he was cheating on her, raping and murdering women, and allegedly doing the same in his home country must have brought her to her knees.