Ice Cold Killers

Narrator: THE WILDS OF ALASKA, VAST, UNTAMED, AND DANGEROUS.

THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT CAN KILL YOU.

PREDATORS, MASKED BY THE MERCILESS COLD

OR THE UNRELENTING MIDNIGHT SUN.

Petterson: YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH UNDERSTAND WHAT AN ANIMAL'S GONNA DO.

IT'S THE HUMANS YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH.

Macdonald: IT WAS THE MOST VIOLENT NIGHT,

AND TO THIS DAY, IT WAS THE MOST VIOLENT NIGHT

IN ANCHORAGE HISTORY.

Mason: I THINK THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN

IN THE STATE OF ALASKA.

HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS DOING, JUST PLAIN EVIL.

DOESN'T GET ANY WORSE THAN THIS.

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: ALASKA IS A PLACE OF EXTREMES.

IN WINTER, IT SLUMBERS IN A DARK AND BITTER CHILL.

IN SUMMER, IT BATHES IN THE LIGHT OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN.

ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S JUST DAYLIGHT,

ENDLESS AMOUNTS OF DAYLIGHT.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE SUN SETTING

30, 11:45 AT NIGHT.

YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CONCEPT OF TIME.

Narrator: IN THE SUMMER OF 1982, ANCHORAGE NEVER SLEEPS.

MacDonald: BARS WERE BASICALLY --

THEY CLOSED LONG ENOUGH TO SWEEP.

THE PEOPLE OUT WHO HAD BEEN DRINKING ALL NIGHT,

CLEANED THE PLACE UP A LITTLE BIT AND THEN THEY'D REOPEN.

AND PEOPLE WOULD COME BACK IN, YOU KNOW.

IT WAS DEFINITELY A FRONTIER TOWN, WILD-WEST MENTALITY.

Narrator: FILLED WITH THAT INDEPENDENT ALASKAN SPIRIT,

V.J. SYLVESTER, AND HIS BEST BUDDY, DEAN KIMLER,

SOAK UP THE LATE NIGHT SUN IN RUSSIAN JACK SPRINGS PARK.

THEY HAD BEEN IN AN APARTMENT WITH TWO OR THREE OTHER GUYS.

AND THEN I GUESS SOME OTHERS HAD MOVED IN.

IT APPARENTLY HAD GOTTEN VERY CROWDED.

SO, THEY DECIDED TO BE OUT ON THEIR OWN.

EVEN IN THE DEAD OF WINTER, IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE,

EVEN A FAMILY, LIVING IN A VISQUEEN TENT.

IT'S JUST KIND OF DIFFERENT,

MOST CITY FOLKS DON'T UNDERSTAND.

Petterson: IN ALASKA, WE LIVE DIFFERENTLY.

IT'S NOT STRESSED, IT'S NOT RUSHED,

WE KIND OF GO HOW WE WANT TO GO, DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

Narrator: ON MAY 3rd, V.J.'S GIRLFRIEND, STEPHANIE,

AND HER FRIEND, AMBER, JOIN THE BOYS AT THE PARK.

TOMORROW IS STEPHANIE'S 17th BIRTHDAY.

THE KIDS WERE GOING TO THE MOVIES,

OR SOMETHING, TO CELEBRATE.

SINCE HIS BUDDY WAS GOING WITH HIM,

SHE INVITED HER BEST FRIEND TO GO,

SO THERE WOULDN'T BE LIKE A THIRD-WHEEL TYPE THING.

THERE'D BE FOUR OF THEM.

Narrator: BUT THE CELEBRATION IS QUICKLY ECLIPSED

BY A NIGHTMARISH HORROR, NEVER BEFORE SEEN IN THIS TOWN.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION,

OR THE CHALLENGER EXPLOSION.

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS WHERE WHEN YOU HEARD THE NEWS,

AT LEAST FOR ME, I REMEMBER EXACTLY WHERE I WAS,

EXACTLY WHAT I WAS DOING.

Narrator: AT 8:10 P.M., A STRING OF CHAOTIC CALLS ERUPTS

FROM ANCHORAGE POLICE OFFICERS' TWO-WAY RADIOS.

Kasper: WE GOT THE CALL THAT THERE WERE FOUR KIDS

WHO HAD BEEN SHOT IN RUSSIAN JACK PARK.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THAT JUST MAKES YOUR HEART STOP,

WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE?

Narrator: OFFICERS RACE TO THE 300-ACRE PARK,

A PERFECT SPOT FOR LOVERS...

AND NOW, MURDER.

Grimes: IT WAS A SHOCKER FOR ALL OF ANCHORAGE.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANYBODY

AT THE WRONG PLACE, AT THE WRONG TIME.

MacDonald: IT IS BROAD DAYLIGHT,

PEOPLE ARE KIND OF COMING OUT OF THEIR WINTER SLUMBER.

THIS ISN'T SOME DARK STREET CORNER

IN SOME ALLEY WAY, OR WHATEVER.

THIS IS IN A WELL-USED, VERY POPULAR PARK,

RIGHT SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF ANCHORAGE.

Narrator: NOT FAR FROM THE FIRST BODY,

POLICE NOTICE A SECOND VICTIM LYING IN THE FRESH GRASS.

THIS ONE'S GOT A PULSE, GET ME A MEDIC UP HERE.

WE'VE GOT TWO MORE BODIES DOWN THE HILL.

FURTHER DOWN THE TRAIL, ONE YOUNG MAN IS DEAD.

MAN, HE'S JUST A KID.

HE'S DEAD.

ANOTHER, CLINGING TO LIFE NEARBY.

I'VE GOT A PULSE, HE'S STILL ALIVE.

GET ME A MEDIC.

Grimes: IT WAS LIKE IN SUCCESSION OF SOMEBODY,

EITHER STARTING AT ONE END OR THE OTHER,

WAS KILLING THEM ONE AT A TIME.

EACH WAS UNAWARE THAT THE OTHER HAD BEEN SHOT.

THIS WAS JUST METHODIC.

IT WAS JUST WALKING A TRAIL,

MEET SOMEBODY ON THAT TRAIL,

SHOOT 'EM, DON'T STOP, KEEP GOING.

MEET SOMEBODY ELSE, SHOOT 'EM, DON'T STOP, KEEP GOING.

Narrator: BOTH BOYS HAD BEEN SHOT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD.

BOTH GIRLS, IN THE FACE.

ONE, DIRECTLY BETWEEN THE EYES.

POINT BLANK, EACH OF THEM, ONE BULLET IN THE HEAD.

ONE FROM A DISTANCE OF 14 INCHES.

EFFICIENT AND UNBELIEVABLY SCARY AND BIZARRE.

NONE OF THE KIDS WOULD HAVE KNOWN WHAT WAS GOING ON

UNTIL THEY WERE SO CLOSE IT WAS TOO LATE.

Narrator: AS MEDICS SCRAMBLE TO SAVE THE SURVIVORS,

OFFICERS HOPE ONE OF THE KIDS WILL LIVE LONG ENOUGH

TO I.D. THE GUNMAN, BUT THE ODDS ARE SLIM.

I THINK THAT ANYBODY THAT RESPONDED

AND SAW THEM BEING TRUCKED AWAY WITH HEAD WOUNDS,

NOBODY WAS GOING TO SURVIVE,

NOBODY WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO TELL US ANYTHING.

Narrator: ANCHORAGE PD SCRAMBLES TOGETHER A 25-MAN INVESTIGATIVE TEAM.

Grimes: CALLS WERE GOING TO DAY-SHIFT DETECTIVES TO COME OUT.

CALLS WERE GOING OUT TO OFFICERS

THAT WERE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE TOWN,

THAT THEY COULD COME IN AND ASSIST.

Narrator: AND NOT JUST FOR THIS CRIME,

BUT FOR ANOTHER SHOOTING IN TOWN.

Kasper: THE PHONE DISPATCH CALLED

AND SAID THERE WAS A SHOOTING AT A NEIGHBORHOOD HANGOUT.

Narrator: LESS THAN FIVE MILES AWAY,

AT THE BLACK BULL TAVERN,

POLICE DISCOVER A MAN AND A WOMAN LYING NEAR THE BAR.

THE BODY OF ANOTHER MAN IS JUST A FEW FEET AWAY.

THERE WAS BLOOD ALL OVER THE FLOOR.

Narrator: BUT, FOR THE WILD-WEST BAR CROWD,

IT'S NO REASON TO END THE NIGHT.

PATRONS AT THE BAR WERE JUST SITTING THERE

LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED, DRINKING.

Narrator: ALL THREE VICTIMS SUFFERED A SINGLE GUNSHOT

TO THE HEAD, JUST LIKE THE FOUR KIDS FOUND IN THE PARK.

Kasper: I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE CONNECTED

BECAUSE YOU GET ALL THESE PEOPLE SHOT.

THEY'RE ALL REPORTEDLY SHOT IN THE HEAD,

SO IT WAS THE SAME M.O.

WE DIDN'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY HAD A GRUDGE AGAINST THEM

AND KILLED THEM ALL.

THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY TARGETED, THE QUESTION WAS BY WHO?

SOMEONE THEY KNEW OR A RANDOM SHOOTING?

WE WERE TOTALLY STUMPED. WE HAD NO CLUE.

Narrator: POLICE ARE RATTLED BY THE LOOMING FEAR

THAT EVIL IS STILL OUT THERE,

SHROUDED SOMEHOW IN THE MIDNIGHT SUN.

YOU'RE ALWAYS WONDERING,

"IS THIS PERSON STANDING OUT HERE, WATCHING US?"

Narrator: PERHAPS POISED TO STRIKE AGAIN AT ANY MOMENT.

Kasper: WE WERE CONCERNED

THAT WE HAD A SERIAL MURDERER ON THE LOOSE,

AND RANDOMLY MAYBE JUST SELECTING VICTIMS

AND KILLING THEM.

Grimes: I THINK THAT WAS UPPERMOST IN EVERYBODY'S MIND,

YOU KNOW, WHO IS THIS GUY, WHERE IS HE?

HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE IS HE GOING TO KILL?

Narrator: ANCHORAGE POLICE ARE DESPERATE TO SHED LIGHT

ON THE DARKEST NIGHT IN THE CITY'S HISTORY.

IT WAS THE MOST VIOLENT NIGHT, AND TO THIS DAY,

IT IS THE MOST VIOLENT NIGHT IN ANCHORAGE HISTORY.

Narrator: SEVEN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN TWO SEPARATE SHOOTINGS,

THREE AT A LOCAL BAR, AND FOUR OTHERS

IN NEARBY RUSSIAN JACK SPRINGS PARK,

INCLUDING V.J. SYLVESTER.

AT FIRST, HIS MOTHER HAS NO IDEA HE'S GONE.

Thornton: THE FIRST WE HEARD OF IT

WAS ON THE NEWS ON TV THAT NIGHT.

AND I REMEMBER WE ALL SAID A PRAYER FOR THE FAMILIES,

WE WERE ALL REAL SAD.

THESE KIDS DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A CHANCE

TO EVEN DEFEND THEMSELVES OR KNOW WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN.

Narrator: THEN THE PAIN BECOMES PERSONAL.

Thornton: THE NEXT MORNING,

BEFORE GETTING THE KIDS UP FOR SCHOOL,

THERE WAS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR, AND THERE WAS A STATE TROOPER.

AND THAT'S WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS MY SON.

Narrator: ALASKA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A FRESH START

FOR NORMA THORNTON AND HER CHILDREN.

SHE MOVED NORTH IN 1977, AFTER HER HUSBAND PASSED AWAY.

Thornton: WE DECIDED THAT WE NEEDED A NEW...

SOMETHING NEW IN OUR LIFE.

SO WE BOUGHT AN OLD SCHOOL BUS, AND MADE A MOTOR HOME,

AND CAME NORTH.

IT WAS HEALING AND NEW BEGINNING.

WE FISHED, MOSTLY CAUGHT OUR OWN DINNER AND SUCH,

BERRY-PICKING AND GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER.

Narrator: V.J. WAS HER OLDEST SON.

Thornton: HE WAS 18.

THAT SPOT IN-BETWEEN ADOLESCENCE AND BECOMING A MAN,

AND STANDING ON HIS OWN TWO FEET.

AND HE WAS REALLY EMPHATIC

ABOUT WANTING TO BE HIS OWN PERSON,

AND MAKE HIS OWN WAY.

Petterson: HE WANTED TO EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING

THAT ALASKA HAD TO OFFER, EVERYTHING.

HE JUST WANTED TO SEE IT ALL,

EXPERIENCE IT ALL, TAKE IT ALL IN.

Narrator: NOW, AS BAFFLED AS POLICE,

HIS FAMILY STRUGGLES TO COMPREHEND HIS LOSS.

I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A REASON.

IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE, OF COURSE, MURDER NEVER DOES.

Thornton: I COULD NOT HAVE CHANGED THE CIRCUMSTANCE

OF WHAT THE END RESULT.