Trigger warning: this article contains graphic details of violence and murder
Brian Steven Smith, who was on trial for killing two Native Alaskan women and videotaping one of the murders on his cellphone, was found guilty by an Anchorage jury.
The 52-year-old man from South Africa reportedly showed no reaction while the judge read the jury’s unanimous verdict on Thursday. He was found guilty of all 14 criminal counts, including first- and second-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and sexual assault in the cases of both victims.
The murders of 30-year-old Kathleen Jo Henry and 52-year-old Veronica Abouchuk — who died in September 2019 and August 2018, respectively — came to light after gruesome videos were found on Brian’s cellphone by a woman who stole the device from his truck.
During the investigation, the woman named Valerie Casler first told the police that she found an SD card labeled "Homicide at midtown Marriott" lying on the ground on Sept. 30, 2019.
Valerie later admitted that she stole the cellphone from Brian’s truck and transferred the contents to an SD card, which she later handed over to police. The woman, a sex worker, became a key witness during the trial in Anchorage and testified on the stand. Valerie also claimed she lost the original phone.
Brian Steven Smith was found guilty of murdering two women, Kathleen Jo Henry, 30, and Veronica Abouchuk, 52
The SD card that was given to the police had graphic photos and videos of Kathleen’s murder.
“You saw the defendant repeatedly strangle Kathleen Henry,” Anchorage Deputy District Attorney Heather Nobrega said in court Thursday. “You saw him step on her throat; you saw him step on her stomach. You see him fondle her and pinch her breasts. You see him poke her in the eye several times.”
Kathleen’s body was found along railroad tracks on Oct. 2, 2019, and a coroner ruled that she was strangled to death.
Brian’s distinctive accent was heard in the video footage, which he captured himself while brutally murdering Kathleen in a hotel room in Anchorage.
“In my movies, everybody always dies,” he was quoted saying. “What are my followers going to think of me? People need to know when they are being serial-killed.”
A woman who stole Brian's cellphone found video footage of him carrying out the brutal murder of Kathleen Jo Henry
As Brian was interrogated by officials, he eventually confessed to killing his other victim, Veronica, whose body had been found earlier but had been misidentified.
“She refused to shower, and it just pissed him off, and he went to his garage, and he got his gun, and he shot her in the head,” Heather said in court about Veronica's murder.
Brian’s sentencing is expected to take place in July.
His wife, Stephanie Bissland of Anchorage, attended the trial and asserted that divorce was not in store for them.
“I said my vows,” she said.
“He was very good for me, but he had another life, I guess,” she was quoted saying.
“I said my vows,” said Brian's wife, who said they would not be getting a divorce
Image credits: Kindel Media / Pexels