Almost a year after the discovery of 19-year-old Roxanne Smart found murdered near the clinic in Chevak, troopers with the Alaska Bureau of Investigation have made an arrest in her stabbing death.

After traveling to the community of Chevak and conducting a follow-up investigation on on Thursday, troopers report that they arrested 20-year-old Samuel Atchak of Chevak and charged him with Murder I, Sexual Assault I, and Assault II.

A confession to troopers lead to his arrest. Atchak told troopers that he had put Smart in a “choke hold” until she was unconscious then undressed, and sexually assaulted her. He admitted to stabbing her that same night. Smart had stab wounds to her chest and neck.

Smart was working as a part of the Summer Youth Program in the community just east of Hooper Bay at the time of her death.

Atchak was transported to Bethel, where he was remanded to the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center and held without bail.

  chevak, murder, rape, roxanne smart, samuel atchak, sexual assault, stabbing