ANCHORAGE, ALASKA — A stolen cellphone led to the arrest of Brian Steven Smith, the man who filmed himself killing 30-year-old Kathleen Jo Henry in an Anchorage hotel room in 2019. A homeless woman took the phone from Smith’s truck, found the disturbing files, and turned them over to police. In July 2024, Smith was sentenced to 226 years in prison. The case remains one of Alaska’s most disturbing murders.
Homeless Woman Finds Horrifying Videos on Stolen Phone
In 2019, a homeless woman in Anchorage stole a cellphone from a man’s truck. When she looked through it, she found photos and videos showing a woman being tortured and strangled to death. The phone held evidence of a brutal crime. What she saw shocked her. She knew right away she had to act.
The woman copied the files onto a memory card and took it to police. She risked trouble for herself by admitting she took the phone. Her decision to come forward gave investigators the evidence they needed. Without her, the crime might never have been uncovered.
Brian Steven Smith Filmed Murder of Kathleen Jo Henry
The phone belonged to Brian Steven Smith. Investigators found he had recorded himself beating and killing 30-year-old Kathleen Jo Henry inside a hotel room in Anchorage. The footage showed the attack in disturbing detail. Henry was an Alaska Native woman.
At one point in the footage, Smith could be heard saying that in his movies everyone dies. The chilling words became one of the most disturbing details of the case. Prosecutors later used the recordings as key evidence in court.
Smith Confessed to Killing Second Woman, Veronica Abouchuk
During questioning, Smith confessed to shooting another woman before abandoning her remains. That victim was later identified as Veronica Abouchuk. Her remains had been found earlier outside the city. The admission added to the case against him…