(Anchorage, AK) – Friday, 25-year-old Mickee Bobby Marcel Thompson of Anchorage was sentenced by Anchorage Superior Court Judge Peter Ramgren for the murder of Sosia Finau on April 12, 2018. Thompson was convicted of First-Degree Murder by an Anchorage jury in February 2024.
At trial, the evidence showed that Thompson and Robert Smith showed up uninvited at the apartment of Thompson’s former girlfriend. The former girlfriend had begun seeing Finau. Thompson and Smith left without incident but returned to the apartment to retrieve Thompson’s son. After a verbal dispute over car keys, Thompson fired his 9 mm firearm 17 times at Finau. As Thompson was leaving the apartment, Smith entered the apartment and fired seven more shots at Finau. Finau was struck by 15 bullets in the head, trunk, arm, and legs and died as a result of his injuries before police arrived minutes later.
The State argued that Thompson intentionally killed Finau. Thompson claimed he acted in self-defense and that Smith was the cause the death of Finau. The jury rejected Thompson’s argument.
At sentencing, evidence was presented regarding Thompson’s difficult upbringing and history of domestic violence that he had engaged in prior to the murder. Finau’s mother gave an emotional victim impact statement in which she forgave Thompson, noting that “it’s tough being a mom” and recognizing how their families have “grief bonded” over the incident.
Judge Ramgren, who presided over the 2024 jury trial, stated that his understanding of what happened on April 12, 2018, was consistent with the jury’s verdict. He recognized that Thompson intentionally killed Finau and there was nothing anyone could do to bring him back. Judge Ramgren also recognized that while this was not a domestic violence offense, it was domestic violent adjacent circumstances. He determined that Thompson was a danger to the public and that community condemnation required a lengthy sentence of imprisonment. Judge Ramgren also noted that Thompson was young at the time of the murder but had guarded prospects for rehabilitation based on his conduct before the incident and while incarcerated.
The State requested the court impose a sentence of 95 years with 20 years suspended. Thompson requested the court impose a sentence of 85 years with 55 years suspended. Judge Ramgren imposed a sentence of 85 years with 20 years suspended, to be followed by 5 years of supervised felony probation.
Thompson is in the custody of the Alaska Department of Corrections.
