Daily Sitka Sentinel from Sitka, Alaska • Page 7

Couple Found Shot to Death in Anchorage ANCHORAGE (AP) A couple is dead, the victims of Tap? parent murder-suicide, police sav That marks the second such case in the city in the past two weeks. It also brings to 10 the number of homicides in Alaska largest city so far this Whl the total for all of authorities said. Christopher Hearrell, 20, and Marya Hearrell, 19, were found shot to death Kincaid Park early Tues- seen hls Public defender Monday afternoon. Hearrell was scheduled to be sentenced on theft and burglary charges later that day, but missed his court date. "I can't believe it really happened, said Craig Howard, Christo- Enn'uf yer the last person 2 have ken to him.

"I feel bad. I don't know whether something I said triggered it or whether there was something inside that snapped Shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday, police stopped on routine patrol to check an unoccupied car in Uie city park. Hecker noticed an open box of ammunition inside and called for a police dog to search the area The Hearrells' bodies were found about 1,500 yards away, in an open, snow-covered bowl near the park's motorcross track. Each had been shot once in the head, and Christopher's wound appeared to be self-inflicted, police said.

A 9mm semiautomatic pistol was 1 Ws hand Mike Grimes said. There were no obvious signs of a struggle. No note was found. Christopher and Marya Hearrell met at Service High School, where she graduated in May. It is not clear if he graduated.

Marya, whose maiden name was Murati, was an honor student who won a Chancellor's Scholarship Award to the University of Alaska Anchorage, according to newspaper accounts. The award is given to students with outstanding academic and leadership records. In August, Christopher was arrested for burglarizing a home where he had lived with his family, who since have moved, said Assistant District Attorney Terry Fikes. When police searched his apartment, they found other items that appeared to have been stolen, including a cellular phone belonging to Mayor Tom Fink. Hearrell was a guard in the Hill at the time the telephone dis- -sappearedi Fikes i Howard described Hearrell as a fcnght youth with no history of violence.

"They were very much in love with each other," he said. "These kids had everything going for them. It's like something out of Romeo and Juliet." "If someone had told me he was capable of this kind of violence I would have said they were crazy." Hearrell faced a maximum of four years in jail for his offenses, but as a first-time offender probably would nave been sentenced to no more than six months, Howard said. Fikes said, however, she had planned to present nine witnesses who would have testified that stolen property found in Hearrell's apartment was theirs. That testimony was intended to convince the judge that Hearrell deserved to serve time in jail, Fikes said When they met Monday afternoon, Howard told Hearrell about the witnesses and the possibility of a harsh sentence.

"I had to tell him that. I don't know if that precipitated it or what he said. "It's one of those things where I think the criminal justice system kind of failed. I think they maybe pushed harder than they needed to in this case. Obviously, he reached a breaking point." The couple left Howard's office at 2 p.m.

Monday and seemed to be in good spirits, he said. Sentencing was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The Hearrells failed to show up for the hearing before Judge Mark Rowland, but Howard didn't worry too much, because it was postponed for two weeks, anyway. Tuesday morning, Marya's father called Howard to report that they had not been home Monday night The couple lived with her parents as a condition of Christopher's bail. The car found at Kincaid was covered with ice and may have been parked overnight, Lt.

Bill Gifford said. Police had not yet determined the time of death. Native Education Seeks Nominations The Sitka-Mt. Edgecumbe Parent Native Education Committee is accepting nominations for the 1991-92 committee. This committee sets policy for the JOM, ffiA and Sitka Pilot Native Curriculum Project programs.

Native parents or guardians are eligible to serve one-year terms beginning April. Native representation is strongly encouraged" by SNEP, Sitka's Native Education Program. Teacher and student representatives from the Sitka Public Schools and ML Edgecumbe High School are also needed to serve. -Villagers Gathered in Barrow For State Whaling Conference i iak- en through February. For more information, contact SNEP at 747-8561.

Directors to Meet Sitka Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors will meet 7:30 a.m. Thursday at the Centennial Building. WE'RE CELEBRATING A HOLIDAY Presidents 1 Day Monday, February 18, 1991 First National will be closed on this day, but our First InterNational automatic tellers don't have the day off. Now you can get cash from your account almost anywhere you travel. Use your First InterNational card ac over 20,000 locations throughout Alaska, the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Japan and the United Kingdom through the PLUS System ATM Network.

First InterNational gives you convenient access to your cash almost any hours a day. On this day or any other day of the year, count on First InterNational. Knt JnterNttional is a trademark of First National Bank of Anchongt Plus Systtra is a registered trademark of PJus System, Inc First National Bank Member FDIC BARROW (AP) More than 400 villagers from northern Alaska have gathered in Barrow for the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Captains Conference, which begins Wednesday. The theme of this year's convention is "Protecting Our Resources," and among other activities, the whalers will discuss the latest developments in offshore oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean. The whalers and their families represent the villages of Barrow, Point Hope, Wainwright, Nuiqsut, Kak- toyik, Savoonga, Gambell, Wales and Kivalina.

Also attending are various government officials and representatives of the oil industry, organizers said. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, was scheduled to get the three-day convention under way with a keynote address Wednesday morning. North Slope Borough Mayor Jeslie Kaleak will welcome the delegates. Sylvia Earl, the new U.S.

delegate to the International Whaling Commission, also was scheduled to make a keynote speech Wednesday. On Fnday, the whaling captains will allocate this year's quota of bowhead whales from the International Board to Meet The Sitka School Board will meet 7 p.m. Feb. 15 in the Sitka High School cafeteria. The agenda will include a Sitka High School presentation, appointment of a board representative to the Community Service Implementation Task Force, a presentation by Lynda Williamson on the upcoming self-esteem workshop, validation of a teacher contract and establishing the date for the next work session.

Whaling Commission. Beverly Patkotak Grinage, executive director of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, said 44 bowhead whale strikes have been allocated to the whaling crews this year, plus ttree earned over from last year That means whalers have a total of 47 strikes to land a maximum 41 whales sne said. Ron Morris of the National Marine Hshenes Service will address the whalers on oil-drilling issues like seismic noise, incidental take rules and offshore lease sales, among other Grinage said villagers hear about Uiose issues piecemeal on the news but are looking "for an update, kind oi a synopsis, so our whalers are aware of what's going on out there Morris is well-known in the area as the rescue coordinator for the three gray whales trapped in the ice off Point Barrow in the fall of 1988. Senator III JUNEAU (AP) Sen. Bettye banrenkamp, who is undergoing treatment for bone cancer in Portland may return to Alaska next weekend, an aide said Tuesday.

Fahrenkamp, D-Fairbanks, went to a Portland hospital in late January for tests after she failed to heal properly irom a vertebrae injury sustained in a fall last October. Tests revealed several cancerous sites on the bones in her back. She has been undergoing radiation treatment since. "We have word that she's improving, aide Joan Hope said. ''We don't nave much more specific than that" Hope said it is uncertain when Fahrenkamp will return to the Legislature.

6 Fahrenkamp, 67, is in her fourth term representing District K-B. Daily Sitka Sentinel, Sitka, Alaska, Wednesday, February 13,1991, Page Search Under Way for Musher in NW Alaska ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) A 29-year-old sled dog musher has disappeared with his dog team on a trek across northwest Alaska on his way to take part in the 1991 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Malcolm Vance, of Shishmaref, left that Inupiat Eskimo village on Wednesday on his way to Brevig Mission, about 65 miles south of Shishmaref on the Seward Peninsula, the Alaska State Troopers said. Shishmaref is about 600 miles northwest of Anchorage on the Chukchi Sea coast Searchers over the weekend and early this week have been hampered by blowing snow and whiteout conditions, Troopers said. Civil Air Patrol and Trooper aircraft were standing by Tuesday waiting for the weather to improve.

"They haven't been able to fly that area because of the weather," said Trooper Duke Ballard in Nome. It has been snowing for several days with heavy winds and whiteout conditions he said. Volunteer ground search teams riding snow machines from Shishmaref and Brevig Mission were searching ground routes through the mountains between the two villages, Ballard said. The Civil Air Patrol in Nome was able to fly one search mission Monday afternoon, but the pilot was unable to enter the hills where Vance was believed to have disappeared because of blowing snow and low visibility, said Trooper Roger Maynard in Nome. "There is deep snow and it's very white up there," Maynard said.

"Just to send a search team up there is very hazardous." The approximately 65 miles between Shishmaref and Brevig Mission on Seward Peninsula is filled with valleys and hills, some of ihem in the range. Vance was carrying cold-weather camping gear with him, Ballard said Herbert (Herbie) Nayokpuk, an I'l- Ume Iditarod musher who lives' 'in Shishmaref, said Vance was oti his way to Anchorage to meet a deadline set by race officials for arranging for feed for his dogs during the coming Iditarod. The Iditarod, a grueling marathon across Interior Alaska that attracts international media attention as the foremost sled dog race in the world, begins on March 2, It starts in downtown Anchorage and ends 10 to 14 days later in Nome on Norton Sound. Vance was taking his team of between 18 and 20 dogs to Nome' and planned to fly with the dogs from Nome to Anchorage on Monday, Nayokpuk said. Vance and Nayokpuk's daughter Mary Jane, had a baby boy just a month ago, Nayokpuk said.

The boy's name is Malcolm Vance Jr. The mother and child are staying with the Nayokpuk family in Shishmaref. Vance used dogs belonging to Nayokpuk last year in his first Iditar- od race. He finished in 37th place. Iditarod race coordinator Joanne Potts said Vance was signed up to run the 1991 race and that race officials were upset over his disappearance "Herbie (Nayokpuk) is worried, and when Herbie is worried, we're worried," Potts said Tuesday.

Troopers said a ground search party had been able to leave Shishmaref Monday during a break in the weather, but later had to turn back. Troopers have asked all commercial air services in the area to keep a lookout for Vance, Maynard said Nayokpuk, 61, who suffered a stroke following his last Iditarod race but says he has not retired, expressed frustration Tuesday at Troopers' unsuccessful efforts to find Vance jy A LE 9 SAVINGS THROUGHOUT THE STOR HOME BUYS Most items ot reduced prices. ZENITH SPECTACULAR fl!) PIONEER 110-watt rack stereo with CD changer, remote through Feb. 16 SAVE $42 Hi-speed dual cassette, 12 in. 3-way speakers graphic equalizer.

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