Judge hands down 226-year sentence for murders of two Alaska Native women

Also: Gov. Dunleavy has signed into law a wide-ranging crime bill that combines tougher drug penalties with new policies on child pornography, grand jury testimony and mental competency cases, among other measures. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Good afternoon. It’s Friday, July 12. In today's newsletter: - Brian Smith, the Anchorage man convicted of killing Veronica Abouchuk in 2018 and Kathleen Jo Henry in 2019, was sentenced to [226 years in prison](. - Gov. Mike Dunleavy [has signed into law]( a crime bill that implements harsher sentences for some drug and stalking offenses, and changes policies on child pornography, grand jury testimony and mental competency cases, among others. - An Anchorage police officer who fired on a suspect this week [was also involved]( in a May fatal police shooting that spurred ongoing calls for the department to release bodycam footage. If you're not out fishing for salmon on the Kenai Peninsula this weekend, you might consider checking out a few of [the events happening elsewhere]( in Southcentral Alaska. That includes the Bear Paw Festival, the biggest event of the summer in Eagle River, featuring games, vendors, a carnival, even a human foosball tournament. Anchorage weather We're seeing cloudy skies today with a slight chance of rain and a high around 66 degrees. As a heads up, forecasters [are expecting]( strong winds to pick up through this evening from Anchorage to Mat-Su, which could lead to difficult travel conditions, property damage or power outages. Rain is likely through the weekend in Anchorage. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Vicky Ho, vho@adn.com [Brian Smith sentenced to 226 years for killings of two Alaska Native women →]( In an Anchorage courtroom packed with family members, advocates and members of the media, Superior Court Judge Kevin Saxby handed down the sentence, which ensures that Smith will spend the rest of his life in prison for the deaths of Veronica Abouchuk in 2018 and Kathleen Jo Henry in 2019. The judge described Smith as a person so dangerous that “if he is ever released, he will probably kill again.” ADVERTISEMENT [Gov. Dunleavy signs crime package into law with tougher sentences to combat fentanyl crisis →]( The 50-page crime bill combines wide-ranging policy changes — one of which is that dealing drugs resulting in someone's death can now warrant a second-degree murder charge. The ACLU of Alaska has flagged what it described as “significant constitutional concerns.” [Officer in this week’s Anchorage police shooting was also involved in fatal May shooting →]( Officer Jacob Jones was hired in December 2016 and works with the Anchorage Police Department’s K-9 unit. APD Chief Sean Case said that he expects the public will have concerns about a single officer being involved in two shootings. [Bear baiting again banned in national preserves in Alaska, under new National Park Service rule →]( To the National Park Service, the danger with bear baiting is that bears will become habituated to human-provided food and be more likely to interact with people. (via Alaska Beacon) [Rasmuson Foundation resumes grantmaking with larger awards and expanded programs after 6-month pause →]( Alaska’s largest private charitable funder said it'll resume grantmaking and speed up award schedules after a pause that began in January and followed a major change in its leadership structure. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Alaska gardening: Go ahead and putter in your garden, but don’t neglect crucial midsummer tasks →]( [One person dead, two missing in tour helicopter crash in Hawaii →]( [U.S., Germany foil Russian plot to assassinate CEO of arms manufacturer →]( [Webb space telescope keeps delivering cosmic surprises →]( [Trump lawyers press judge to overturn hush money conviction after Supreme Court immunity ruling →]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News, 300 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States