(SitNews) Anchorage, Alaska - Lieutenant Governor Kevin Meyer signed an extradition request to the Governor of Maine on March 7 for Steven Harris Downs, a former student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, accused of first-degree murder and first-degree sexual assault in the death of 20-year-old Sophie Sergie in April 1993.  

“After 26 long years, it is time for Sophie Sergie and her family to see justice served,” said Lt. Governor Meyer. “This case has haunted Sophie’s family and the Fairbanks community for far too long. It is my hope that Governor Mills approves this request quickly and permits the wheels of justice, unmoved since 1993, to proceed forward in our search for the truth in this tragic case.”

Sophie Sergie was visiting Fairbanks in late April 1993 when she decided to spend the night with a friend at the UAF campus. Her body was discovered the next day in a dormitory bathroom. Investigators with the Alaska State Troopers launched an investigation and collected a DNA sample from the victim that was uploaded into the Combined DNA Identification System (CODIS) in 2000, but no identification was made. 

Last year, Trooper investigators decided to use genealogical databases to identify a possible suspect and that eventually led them to a relative of Downs. Working with Maine law enforcement, Downs was interviewed again and on February 14, a search warrant for a sample of his DNA was served. The Maine Crime Law tested his DNA, which matched the DNA sample found on Sergie’s body. 

Lt. Governor Meyer thanked the Alaska State Troopers and the Maine State Police for their outstanding cold case work in finding Downs. “Public safety and restoring trust in state government is the number one priority of this administration and we will continue to do whatever is necessary to make Alaska safer,” added Lt. Governor Meyer.

On December 10, 2018, Governor Michael J. Dunleavy appointed Lt. Governor Meyer to act on his behalf in extradition duties under Alaska's Uniform Criminal Extradition Act, Alaska Statute 12.70.

On the Web:

Arrest Made in Fairbanks' Cold Case; Sophie Sergie case solved utilizing Genetic Genealogy and years of investigation
SitNews - February 20, 2019

 

Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNew

Source of News:

Office of Lt. Governor Kevin Meyer
www.ltgov.alaska.gov

 

Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.

SitNews ©2019
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews are considered protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper freelance writers and subscription services. E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.