Both Suspects in Hatcher Pass Kidnapping/Attempted Murder Case Now in Jail

Both suspects in the Hatcher Pass Kidnapping/Attempted Murder case, Matthew Scharber (l) and Corey Sylva (r) have been apprehended.
Both suspects in the Hatcher Pass Kidnapping/Attempted Murder case, Matthew Scharber (l) and Corey Sylva (r) have been apprehended. Image-Webgrab

Investigators with the Special Crimes Investigation Unit, or SCIU, report that they have arrested a second male, identified as Corey S. Sylva, age 26, in connection with the kidnapping and assault of brothers, 22-year-old Kevin, and 23-year-old Keeton Kirlin, who were kidnapped, assaulted, shot, and left for dead on the Palmer side of Hatcher Pass on Thursday, October 27th.

When the two brothers were discovered just prior to 5 am in the road at Hatcher Pass, they had had been severely beaten and shot multiple times. One of the victims was only clad in boxer shorts and a t-shirt.They had been found by a driver in the pass who promptly called 911.

Investigators would find shell casings and cigarette butts in the snow at the location 15 miles into Hatcher Pass.

The brothers told investigators that they had gone to Scharber’s Mountain View apartment to look for a missing diamond and gold ring that one of the brothers lost a week earlier when they had gone to Scharber’s apartment to buy meth.[xyz-ihs snippet=”adsense-body-ad”]But, when they arrived, the two brothers got into an altercation with the two suspects over a stolen wallet incident that occurred during that visit a week earlier. Keeton had found and kept Sylva’s wallet outside of Scharber’s apartment after Silva was searching around outside for it, it was reported.

After their beating, the two bound brothers were loaded out of the apartment’s window and loaded into their own vehicle and driven to Hatcher Pass. Once there, they were taken from the vehicle at gunpoint, then shot by Scharber and left for dead. Sylva provided the gun that Scharber used to shoot the two brothers, investigators say.

See also  Alaska Air National Guard help 3 Alaskans during 2 missions

The victim’s vehicle would be located the next day at the Tikahtnu Commons Parking Lot.

Sylva has now joined his accomplice, 34-year-old Matthew J. Scharber, in jail, Scharber was arrested on Tuesday by the Anchorage Police Department’s SWAT Team and State Troopers with WAANT on a warrant. 

When arrested, investigators would locate “evidence relating to the multiple crimes for which Scharber was arrested; as well as a large amount of methamphetamine, a scale and drug packaging materials,” the trooper dispatch reported this week. Scharber has yet to be charged with any drug-related crimes.

Scharber was arraigned on Tuesday on two counts of Attempted Murder, two counts of Kidnapping and a count of Assault, all felonies. His bail was set at $250,000 cash or corporate appearance bond, with a $100,000 performance bond plus a third-party custodian.

Sylva was charged with two counts of kidnapping and Assault III.

Scharber told the judge at his arraignment that the bail amount was absurd and the accusations directed at him were false.

At Sylva’s arraignment, his bail was set at the same amount. Sylva protested the bail telling the judge that he needed to take care of his daughter.

Both were appointed Public Defenders.

Authorities are continuing their investigation and more charges may be on the way.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-responsive”]