After five years, the last of three men convicted of killing 23-year-old Harvey Albright in August of 2010 has been sentenced for Murder II in Superior Court on Monday. Carl Leedom was sentenced to 55 years in prison in Anchorage court after pleading guilty to Murder II in a February plea deal that vacated six other charges that included Murder I.

It was on the morning of August 24th that Harvey Albright awoke  to punches by Philip Floor after spending the night at Kenneth Upton’s home on North Juanita Loop Road in Eagle River. The beating came from the belief that Albright had stolen a backpack from Leedom that contained thousands of dollars in cash, drugs, and a firearm.

As the incident progressed, Upton held down Albright as Floor and Leedom bound Albright’s hands and feet. Leedom pulled a pistol from his person and proceeded to strike Albright in the head, crushing his skull and killing him.

After killing Albright, Floor and Leedom took Albright’s body to the Mat-Su and dumped his body in the Matanuska River in the Butte. While the two men were disposing of Albright’s body, Upton stayed behind and cleaned up the blood and other evidence of the crime. Although reported missing, Albright”s remains would not be found for days.

But, Floor’s confession to investigators would lead them to Albright’s body a week later. As a result, Upton, Floor and Leedom were indicted by a grand jury.

During Floor’s April 2012 trial, Albright’s girlfriend told the court that Albright did not steal the backpack, but in fact she had. Floor was convicted of Manslaughter during that trial but was acquitted of more serious Murder II charges. He received five years in prison.

In July of 2012, Upton made a plea deal. He would receive four years with two suspended with five years probation. He also received an additional two years for Evidence Tampering.

The day his trial was to begin in early February, Leedom would agreed to a plea deal and pled guilty to Murder II. 

At sentencing, Albright’s parents brought the ashes of the victim as they did during Floor’s trial. Albright’s father said, “Here, Carl, look. This is all that is left.” The H Albright continued saying, “You deserve to f***ing die!” Leedom showed no reaction.

During sentencing, a jail phone call was played for the court. The audio was a call between Leedom and his girlfriend. When she asks if he killed Albright, Leedom replied, “Yeah.”

While Leedom’s attorney said that his client never intended to kill Albright, Judge Jack Smith was not deterred and call Leedom’s part in the killing, a “Cowardly act.”

  carl leedom, death, eagle river, harvey albright, kenneth upton, manslaughter, matanuska river, murder, sentencing, trial