It's May 5th, a National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
For Alaskans, this day carries added weight with the loss of Kelly Hunt, a 19-year-old college student from the Northwest Alaska community of Shaktoolik. Her remains were found last month at the bottom of a ravine in Spenard, the Anchorage neighborhood where she was last seen in January. Hunt was on her way back to college in Soldotna and had stopped in Anchorage to visit friends – and never made it to her destination.
In this episode of the Alaska Back Story podcast, you’ll hear from:
- Antonia Commack and Alexis Savage, advocates who began searching for Kelly Hunt in the earliest days of her disappearance. Why they say they’ve lost confidence in the Anchorage Police Department and the Alaska news media.
Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case, who addresses criticism of the investigation and explains the limits on what police can share publicly. But he agrees more must be done to prevent similar tragedies.
Rhonda McBrideAnchorage Police Chief Sean Case discusses the challenges of balancing the needs of must balance the needs of the investigation with the needs of the community. - Soldotna Representative Justin Ruffridge, who took to the House floor to call attention to Kelly Hunt’s case. Why he believes Anchorage is failing Alaska Native women.
- Lynda Bekoalok, a retired teacher from Shaktoolik, who knew Kelly Hunt from the day she was born. What Alaskans might be surprised to learn about the challenges she faced and overcame, as she pursued her dream of a college education.
Editor's Note: The Alaska Backstory Podcast is written and produced by Rhonda McBride, a reporter and producer for KNBA News.
