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Keyes Charged with Kidnapping Resulting in Death, Other Federal Charges, in Koenig Case (UPDATED)UPDATED: Keyes pleads not guilty to all three chargesRelated Content
UPDATE: Thursday morning in U.S. District Court Israel Keyes pled not guilty to all three charges in the federal case against him related to the slaying of Samantha Koenig. Prosecutors asked the court for the maximum penalty for each charge. For the first charge, kidnapping resulting in death, Keyes could face the death penalty. Count 2, receipt and possession of ransom money, tops out at ten years, and Count 3, fraud with access device, can result in up to 15 years in prison. ANCHORAGE – Anchorage resident Israel Keyes, long a suspect in the killing of barista Samantha Koenig, finally was charged in that crime today. A federal grand jury issued a new three-count indictment that accuses Keyes, 34, of kidnapping resulting in death, in connection with the 18-year-old woman's abduction on February 1. The seven-minute press conference did not provide much, if any information, beyond what is contained in the indictment, except that Anchorage Police Chief Mark Mew implied that there's an ongoing investigation into Keyes that involves crimes other than Samantha Koenig’s murder. But some of the details in the indictment were new. For example, it suggests that Keyes was on foot when he abducted Koenig from the Common Grounds coffee stand on Tudor Road, saying that he took her to his white pickup truck across the street in the Home Depot parking lot. Mew expressed concern for the Koenig family: “I only hope that this prosecution will give them some sense of satisfaction in knowing that the man we believe responsible for her death will now have to stand before the bar of justice for his actions." One revelation today is that prosecutors believe Keyes flew to Houston, Texas, immediately after killing Koenig, returning to Anchorage on February 17. They say he used Koenig’s phone to demand ransom money in Alaska until he flew to Las Vegas on March 6. Reward money solicited from the public was used to pay the ransom, which was collected through a credit union debit card that Keyes allegedly obtained from a vehicle shared by Koenig, who gave him the PIN number before she died. The indictment says he continued to withdraw ransom money in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, before being arrested in Texas in March. Keyes will be arraigned at 10 a.m. Thursday in U.S. district court. Alaska does not have the death penalty, but the first count of the federal indictment makes Keyes eligible for it.
To read the indictment, click here. |
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anchskier said on Monday, Apr 23 at 8:41 AM
Anonymous - It doesn't matter where he is tried for this case. It is a federal case and they do have the death penalty as an option available to them.
88556255Anonymous said on Sunday, Apr 22 at 10:56 AM
Too bad this guy isnt facing justice in Texas... Now there he would find things a lot less kind... I wish Alaska would start treating criminals of this caliber more seriously... no death penalty in Alaska? Now that's a shocker, smh
88464915anchskier said on Friday, Apr 20 at 12:38 PM
Anonymous - Kidnapping resulting in her death. Yes, that does equate to murder. Even in a case where someone dies by the hands of someone else, a 3rd person who didn't do anything but accompany the actual killer can and is usually also charged with the death of the person. "Switch and bait"? Never heard it used that way before.... Maybe "bait and switch". He isn't big enough? Where are you getting that? He is over 6' tall and she was only 5'5". It wouldn't be that hard, especially wtih snow and ice.
88289186Anonymous said on Friday, Apr 20 at 11:00 AM
kidnapping resulting in death is not murder...he isn't big enough to pack her out to a lake and throw her in there...that is too specific for this dude... so it's a legality called switch and bait...it worked you bought into it...just like cattle..lol..
88275545anchskier said on Friday, Apr 20 at 10:47 AM
Anonymous - What do you mean they don't know? They just charged him with kidnapping and killing her. Sure sounds like they have a pretty good idea of who did it to me. Phyllia - They didn't know she was even missing until the next day when someone got to the stand to open up in the morning. Even then, it wasn't certain that something was wrong, just not quite like she normally would have left it.
88273866Anonymous said on Thursday, Apr 19 at 11:18 PM
Donna- There was over $40,000 donated. Keyes withdrew less than $2,000. Where's the other $38,000?
88217196phyllia said on Thursday, Apr 19 at 1:39 AM
I think it is a mistake to wait 24 hours before beginning to search for missing people it gives the criminals too much time in advance.
88099936Big D said on Wednesday, Apr 18 at 7:56 PM
head of this article say: Protentially faces death penalty. "like"
88087126Wes Craske said on Wednesday, Apr 18 at 6:39 PM
Kudos to all the people of Anchorage and the law enforcement community nationwide for the parts each played in bringing this sad case to the point on indictment.We simply cannot tolerate this kind of behavior of our young ladies. For some reason, there are boys and men who can justify treating girls and women in this fashion. Females deserve resect and fair treatment; guys: If you have trouble with this, get help please. Thank you for your time. Wes
88080584donna said on Wednesday, Apr 18 at 5:02 PM
And people was rasing sand thinking her father was paying his bill with the reward money. Never judge people before you hear the real facts. I pray God is with the family as they remember Samantha. Good to see the ribbons/flower around town in Samantha memory.
88072106Anonymous said on Wednesday, Apr 18 at 4:58 PM
so they still don't know who did it...idiots...FBI better call the BAU...these agents are in over their heads...
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