A 52-year-old man from South Africa, Brian Steven Smith, was convicted of first-degree murder for the deaths of two Alaska Native women, Kathleen Henry in 2019 and Veronica Abouchuk in either the same year or 2018. Smith was found guilty on 14 charges, including sexual assault, misconduct with a corpse, and first-degree murder, with "substantial physical torture" being an aggravating factor in Henry's case. The Anchorage jury heard how Smith beat and strangled Henry in a hotel room before driving around with her body for two days and then discarding it.

The trial revealed disturbing videos in which Smith was heard narrating violent acts with a South African accent. Smith admitted to killing both women and had even shown a girlfriend a picture of him sexually abusing Abouchuk's body. His crimes came to light when a woman stole his phone from his truck and discovered the incriminating footage.

Smith's defense attorney questioned the credibility of the key witness, Valerie Casler, who provided the videos and photos to the police. Casler admitted to stealing Smith's phone, where she found the disturbing files that ultimately led to his arrest. During interrogation, Smith confessed to both murders, detailing how he shot Abouchuk in the head and later led the police to where he had disposed of her remains.

Despite the heinous crimes, Smith's wife, Stephanie Bissland, expressed her intention to stay married to him and visit him in prison, citing that he had been good to her but led "another life." Smith faces a mandatory 99-year sentence for Henry's killing and an additional 30 to 99 years for Abouchuk's slaying. The judge is set to decide his final sentencing in the coming days.