Cold Case Solved After 33 Years | Anchorage News

A cold case from Fairbanks, Alaska, dating back to November 1993, has taken a shocking turn: 54-year-old Christopher Popps of Michigan has been indicted on two counts of second-degree murder for the killing of 34-year-old Patrick Dearth. The breakthrough came in January 2025 when Popps anonymously confessed to the crime, leading investigators to discover Dearth’s remains in a barrel off the Steese Highway in May 2025. Popps was arrested in Michigan in June 2025 and is now awaiting extradition to Alaska. After nearly 33 years, justice is finally moving forward — a powerful reminder that persistence can still deliver closure, even decades later. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/c3caef62ac8f937b