Catching Sophie’s Killer: Cold Case Investigators Search For New Clues

Were you a UAF student in April, 1993? Did you live in Bartlett? Know somebody who was? Then you probably remember this story. Know something? THINK you know something? Then please call AST. They would love to talk to you!

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Sunday, April 26, is the 16th anniversary of the murder of Sophie Sergie, a 20-year-old from Pitkas Point who was found dead in a dormitory at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in 1993. In the past few years, Cold Case Investigators have diligently sorted through old case files and gathered new information; however, they need the public's help in finding new leads and eliminating others in order to find Sophie's killer. Soldotna-based Cold Case Investigators Jim Stogsdill and Lindy Minnick, aided by other Cold Case investigators within the Alaska Bureau of Investigation, Tim Hunyor and James Gallen, are trying to track anyone who was at UAF dormitory Bartlett Hall at the time of Sophie's death in the very early morning hours of April 26, 1993.

“We’d like everybody who was residing at Bartlett Hall in the spring of 1993, just simply call up and say, ‘Hey, I was
there, I was in whatever room number, this is what I heard, this is what I saw, this is what I heard people speak of afterwards,’”
Stogsdill said. “We can filter all that out.”
Interviewing people who might have something to add to the timeline leading up to Sophie’s death has been a challenge
from the start. Her murder occurred right around finals. Students quickly left for the summer, some of them never to return for
another semester at UAF. Investigators have the difficult task of tracking down people, some of whom have moved Outside or
joined the military in the almost 16 years since Sophie’s death.

Anyone who was in the area of Hess Commons or the Moore, Bartlett and Skarland Halls on April 26, 1993 can contact
Stogsdill at (907)260-2716; Minnick at (907)260-2710 or lindy.minnick@alaska.gov; Gallen or Hunyor in Anchorage at
(907)269-5611; or UAF Police Investigator Steve Goetz at (907)474-7721.

Please see the PDF version of the story for new information on the case, photos and contact numbers for the investigators.

Contact Beth Ipsen at (907)269-5654, (907)351-5191 or elizabeth.ipsen@alaska.gov for more information, or for a copy of a videotaped interview with Investigator Jim Stogsdill.

Amen!

The old priest lay dying in the hospital.

For years he had faithfully served the people of the nation's capital.

He motioned for his nurse to come near.

"Yes, Father?" said the nurse.

"I would really like to see Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi before I die", whispered the priest.

"I'll see what I can do, Father." replied the nurse.

The nurse sent the request to them and waited for a response.

Soon the word arrived. Harry and Nancy would be delighted to visit the priest.

As they went to the hospital, Harry commented to Nancy , "I don't know

why the old priest wants to see us, but it will certainly help our images."



Nancy couldn't help but agree.



When they arrived at the priest's room, the priest took Nancy 's hand in

his right hand and Harry's hand in his left. There was silence and a

look of serenity on the old priest's face.

Finally Nancy spoke. "Father, of all the people you could have chosen,

why did you choose us to be with you as you near the end?"

The old priest slowly replied, "I have always tried to pattern my life

after our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

The old priest continued... "He died between two lying thieves. I would like to do the same."

The BOTH BARRELS Archive

Take a trip down memory lane and root around in the archives. Plenty of Tim Treadwell, Ted Stevens and other more arcane stuff in there. So if you are new to the blog, please feel free to see what you can see.

Trina is in Paris!

Trina Landlord, aka Eskimo to the World is in Paris, no doubt comparing the City of Lights (no, NOT Anchorage) to the Great White Way. So lucky!

Writing Raven's Earth Day Resolutions

As is my wont, on matters better understood and elucidated by those much wiser than myself, I once again defer to Writing Raven at Alaska Real:

My Earth Day resolutions

So Earth Day kinda snuck up on me, and I do try and recognize it in some way. For several thousands of years, the Native people of this continent did a pretty good job of being responsible with the earth. But I think we're slipping, big time now. "Taking care of the land" should not be a past value, and I don't think it totally is - yet.

But today, I didn't really do anything because I forgot about it until about noon today. I also got to thinking that every Earth Day I reflect on how I SHOULD be doing more, and down the way not that much happens.

So today I actually reflected on WHY that's usually a fail. And I came up with two pretty obvious reasons:

1) I start too big. Somehow, overnight, I believe I'm going to change all my habits? As utopian as that is... that's a set up for a big fail right there.

2) I'm not really that specific. "Recycle more." "Use less energy." Uh, right. Not ,only is it kind of copping out, there's no accountability, even to myself.

So I've gone over some very small, very realistic changes I know I can make and instead of making them, "change these for the rest of your life" kind of moves, I'm going to commit to them until the end of the summer (Sept. 1.) Then, re-evaluate. My small changes include:

1. Do not purchase DVD's, or physically rent them.
Benefits: Save on packaging, the energy to create the physical DVD, save on gas. I will download any movies I want to rent or purchase, and if it's not available on iTunes... well, I'm SOL. I think it's something I can survive.

2. Do not purchase anything from the grocery store if I'm not using a reusable bag.
I started something like this last year, and even have all the bags, but kept forgetting them, and shrugging it off for a "I'll remember next time." So, for grocery shopping only, if I don't have the bags, I'm not walking in. Benefits: Save on plastic AND paper, landfills not as full.

3. ONLY use environmentally conscious cosmetic brands
I'm halfway to this goal, as the brand I prefer for my basics is pretty much there. But I looked up one of the items I use every day, and... yikes. I checked it on Skin Deep cosmetic database, and holy crap. I'm basically washing my face with toxins... which seems a little self-defeating as well. So only earth-friendly brands. This includes my shampoo, shower gel - the works. Benefits: Not putting freaky hormone-ridden stuff on every day, save on packaging, supporting companies with a green conscious.

4. I will dispose of any medications correctly
I didn't even know this was a problem until I was made aware of how BIG a problem it is recently! Not disposing of medications correctly can mean a lot of things, like danger to yourself or children by accidental poisoning, but it can also (and DOES) get into the water systems, and doesn't come out. This goes into our drinking water, but it can also effect salmon (and other wildlife) populations. You can check out proper disposal here from the State of Utah (hey, they popped up first.) Benefits: Non-poisoned drinking water and oceans, less chance of poisoning.

So that's it. It seems like so little to me, but this year I'm focusing on small changes, and succeeding small, instead of focusing on big, and failing hard.

Drugs, Guns and Money (These are a few of my favorite things...)

Seriously, though, lets talk about Mexico.
Our sunny south of the border friend is in a serious downward spiral for as many reasons as Carter has little liver pills, not the least of course the out of control drug game.
Some argue that the arrest and killing of a number of kingpins have had the same effect as the death of Tito (Marshall, not Jackson) in the former Yugoslavia.
Others suggest that the rampant corruption in, say it with me, "Mexican Law Enforcement" is the cause, although I must say that any man who risks beheading for a few hundo a month is my kind of guy (maybe Mexico and Iraq should have a law enforcement exchange program...)
The United States is the biggest market in the world for illegal drugs. All roads point North. It was interesting to hear on the radio the other morning that about 14% of Americans represent the consumer sector for illegal drugs. That was a surprise. However, it is an interesting corollary to the percentage of the population that controls the wealth, too!
President Obama was in Mexico recently, talking drugs, guns and money. Mostly guns.
Yesterdays Washington Times had an interesting editorial, to which I link:Obama's Gun Lies and shamelessly quote:

On Thursday, while on a visit to Mexico, the president continued his Blame America First tour. "This war is being waged with guns purchased not here but in the United States," he said, referring to the drug wars that are tearing apart our neighbor to the south. "More than 90 percent of the guns recovered in Mexico come from the United States, many from gun shops that lay in our shared border."

It is completely untrue that 90 percent of guns recovered in Mexico are from America. The Mexican government separates guns it confiscates that were made in the United States and sends them here to be traced. U.S. weapons are easy to identify because of clear markings.

Of the ones sent here to be traced, 90 percent turn out to be from America, but most guns recovered in Mexico are not sent here so are not included in the count. Fox News reported that 17 percent is a more accurate number.

It's a good editorial. Read it!