The Brian Steven Smith Case — Alaska Double Murder

The Case

The Brian Steven Smith case is an Alaskan double-murder case in which a 52-year-old South African-born man, Brian Steven Smith, was convicted of killing two Indigenous Alaska Native women — Kathleen Jo Henry and Veronica Abouchuk — in 2019. Smith recorded one of the killings on his phone, and the recovery of that footage led directly to his arrest in October 2019. After a 2024 trial in Anchorage, he was sentenced to 226 years in prison, closing one of the most disturbing homicide cases in recent Alaska history.

The Crime

On September 4, 2019, Kathleen Jo Henry, a 30-year-old Alaska Native woman, was killed inside room 323 of the TownePlace Suites hotel in Anchorage. Smith recorded the attack on his mobile phone, capturing both video and still images of the prolonged assault and killing. Prosecutors described the footage as showing extreme cruelty, including sexual violence and what they characterized as torture. The recordings — later recovered by police — became central pieces of evidence.

The second victim, Veronica Abouchuk, 52, was also killed in Alaska during 2019. Investigators determined that Smith had shot her and disposed of her remains in a remote location north of Anchorage. The exact date of her death has not been publicly confirmed in the available court reporting, but her killing was linked to Smith during the broader investigation triggered by the discovery of the hotel footage.

The Victims

Both victims were Alaska Native women whose lives reflected the vulnerabilities faced by many Indigenous women in the state. Kathleen Jo Henry was 30 years old at the time of her death. Veronica Abouchuk was 52. Their cases became part of a broader public conversation about the missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW/MMIP) crisis in Alaska, which was later examined in a 2026 HBO Max docuseries that prompted further scrutiny of how Anchorage police handled reports involving Indigenous victims.

Investigation

The breakthrough came when a stolen SD memory card was turned over to law enforcement. The card contained graphic video and still images from inside the hotel room where Henry was killed. The footage included audio in which the killer's distinctive South African accent could be heard — a feature investigators used to narrow their suspect pool quickly. Smith, who had been living in Alaska and held U.S. citizenship, matched both the accent and the physical description visible in the footage.

Anchorage police arrested Smith on October 8, 2019. During the subsequent investigation, detectives recovered additional digital evidence and linked him to the death of Veronica Abouchuk. He was eventually charged with multiple counts of first-degree and second-degree murder, sexual assault, and tampering with evidence.

Trial and Verdict

Smith's trial took place in Anchorage in early 2024. Jurors viewed portions of the recorded evidence, which prosecutors argued left no doubt about Smith's identity as the killer or about the deliberate, prolonged nature of the attacks. In February 2024, the jury found Smith guilty on all 14 counts, including the murders of both Henry and Abouchuk, sexual assault, and evidence tampering.

On July 12, 2024, an Anchorage court sentenced him to 226 years in prison — a term ensuring he will spend the rest of his life incarcerated. Court TV and other outlets covered the sentencing hearing in detail, highlighting victim-impact statements from the families. Smith's defense later filed an appeal, but the trial-level case is considered solved and closed.

Today

The Brian Steven Smith case continues to draw significant true-crime and journalistic attention. Podcasts have examined whether Smith should be classified as a serial killer, given the brutality of the crimes and questions about whether other unsolved Alaska homicides might be connected. The HBO Max docuseries 'Lost Women of Alaska,' released in 2026, placed the case within the broader context of unsolved violence against Indigenous women in the state and renewed criticism of how Anchorage authorities responded to early warning signs. As of today, Smith remains incarcerated, and his appeal is pending in the Alaska court system.