Press Release

Anthony Peterson Found Guilty of Murder in the Second Degree

May 20, 2024

(Fairbanks, AK) – On May 17, a Fairbanks jury found 47-year-old Anthony Peterson guilty of Murder in the Second Degree for the 2021 murder of 18-year-old Brett Allen. The jury acquitted Peterson of Murder in the First Degree.

The jury heard from 16 total witnesses across five days, including Peterson. The guilty verdict demonstrates that the jury rejected Peterson’s self-defense argument.

Peterson remains in the custody of the Department of Corrections pending a sentencing hearing, scheduled for Sept. 16 and 17, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. Peterson faces a sentence of 15 years to 99 years.

Peterson’s son, Aaron Peterson, also faces charges of Murder in the First Degree and Murder in the Second Degree, stemming from this event. The charges are only allegations and are not evidence of guilt. Aaron Peterson is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. His next court date is a trial date setting conference on June 11, 2024, at 11:00 am.

Assistant District Attorney Katy Mason prosecuted the case with Paralegal Jolene Cooper.

CONTACT: District Attorney Joe Dallaire at 907-451-5970 or joe.dallaire@alaska.gov

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Department Media Contact: Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.

Due to resource constraints, we no longer post links to referenced records. Records filed in a federal court are readily available at Docket Search or PACER, and records filed in a State of Alaska court are readily available from the Alaska Court System (Trial Courts - Alaska Court System and Search for an Appellate Case). Contact Sam Curtis to request a referenced record that is not readily available from a court or on the internet, or contact law.recordsrequest@alaska.gov to submit a formal Alaska Public Records Act request.