It was a case that shocked even the most seasoned law enforcement officials in Anchorage. Brian Steven Smith, a South African-born naturalized U.S. citizen, was sentenced to a staggering 226 years in prison for the brutal murders of two Alaska Native women, Kathleen Henry and Veronica Abouchuk, sealing his infamy in a court packed with those seeking justice.
"Both were treated about as horribly as a person can be treated," Alaska Superior Court Judge Kevin Saxby said during the sentencing on that fateful Friday. Indeed, the details were horrifying. Smith had nonchalantly filmed himself torturing Henry, further adding to the macabre weight of his crimes. "It’s the stuff of nightmares," Saxby added, summing up the collective sentiment that rippled through the community.
Smith, who showed no visible emotion either during the trial or sentencing, had been found guilty in February after a three-week trial. The jury did not deliberate for long — less than two hours — before returning their verdict, but the path to justice had been long. Smith's journey into darkness became clear when a stolen cellphone led a sex worker to discover gruesome footage of Henry’s ordeal. She copied the files onto a memory card and turned them over to police. From there, the evidence was irrefutable.
Smith’s heinous acts not only displayed a deeply disturbing detachment but also pointed to a broader societal issue. Henry, 30, and Abouchuk, 52, both hailed from small villages in western Alaska and experienced homelessness in Anchorage. This vulnerability made them targets for Smith, who saw an opportunity for his twisted sense of filmmaking. "In my movies, everybody always dies," Smith said in one of the videos, his South African accent chillingly casual. These words, recorded as he inflicted unimaginable pain, became a haunting refrain in the courtroom.
Relieving Smith's crimes, especially during trial, wasn't easy. Victims were initially only referred to by their initials to maintain a degree of privacy. However, during sentencing, Judge Saxby emphasized restoring dignity to them by recognizing their full names. "It seems to me that the more respectful thing to do is to refer to them by name...and that will help actually, to some tiny extent, restore their personhood," Saxby stated. This stood out as a rare moment of solemn reflection amidst the procedural severity.
The brutality of Smith's actions cannot be overstated. On the night of September 4, 2019, he checked into TownePlace Suites in midtown Anchorage, where he would later film Henry's torture and murder. By tracking his cellphone’s location data, police were able to pinpoint his movements and eventually discover Henry’s body. The final images, dated September 6, showed Henry’s lifeless form in the back of Smith's black pickup truck. For Abouchuk, the ordeal was similarly grisly. Picked up by Smith when his wife was out of town, she was taken to his home, shot in the head after refusing to shower, and her body was later discarded north of Anchorage. Smith’s confession during an eight-hour police interrogation provided the final closure to her family, ending the tragic search.
The repercussions of these crimes are far-reaching. As Judge Saxby remarked, "Those killings actually affect all of society, and especially women in our society. They strip women of any feelings of safety in their own neighborhoods." It's a horrifying reminder of the insidious nature of such violence, amplifying the call for societal change and the protection of vulnerable communities.
Prosecutors Brittany Dunlop and Heather Nobrega made clear that Smith's punishment was not just about delivering justice, but also about making a broader statement. "He is a person that should never be permitted to walk among us," Dunlop affirmed. "He should spend the rest of his life in jail, and your sentence should make a statement that the women's lives that he stole so brutally mattered."
Henry and Abouchuk’s stories were brought to light in a courtroom, yet they echo beyond it into the communities impacted by such violence. Kristy Grimaldi, Abouchuk’s daughter, voiced a sentiment that resonated with many, “It’s a relief knowing that the defendant will rot. I hope he is swarmed with guilt someday knowing he stalled so many people’s joy.” Her words underscore the personal pain and public outcry surrounding these crimes.
The evidence against Smith was overwhelming, including graphic videos and photographic evidence. This dehumanization and objectification were starkly highlighted through Smith's documentation of his own crimes. It painted a harrowing picture, not just of his cruelty, but also of a society failing its most vulnerable members.
Reflecting on the bigger picture, these tragic events call attention to the broader issues of homelessness and vulnerability within indigenous communities. They also spotlight the pressing need for better support structures and vigilance to protect those who are most at risk.
As the community moves forward, the sobering reality of Smith's actions serves as a powerful reminder of the dark corners of human nature and the pressing need for systemic change to prevent such horrors from unfolding again. In the words of Dunlop, “As long as I’ve been doing this work, I still believe that most people are good and there are very, very few truly evil humans in the world. Mr. Smith is one of them.”
