Alaska State Troopers report that 47-year-old Lance Brickley was taken into custody and transported to Kotzebue where he was remanded to the local jail for the murder of Selawik resident Timothy Snyder.

Troopers were informed of the homicide late Wednesday night when it was reported to them from Selawik that they had found the remains of Timothy Snyder in a tote at the local dump.

Investigators with the Alaska Bureau of Investigation, and Crime Scene Technicians from the Alaska Crime Lab responded to the small northwestern community along with Alaska State Troopers at first light on Thursday to open an investigation. Upon arrival, investigators identified the remains as those of Snyder and found that he had been shot prior to being deposited at the dump.

As the investigation progressed, investigators determined that Brinkley had shot the victim at a local residence in the village on Wednesday.

On Friday, troopers reported that they had taken Brinkley into custody and leveled charges of Murder II, Tampering with Physical Evidence, and Misconduct Involving a Weapon III and had transported him to Kotzebue for remand.

Troopers say the remains were sent to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for autopsy. Snyder’s next of kin were notified.

Brinkley had moved to the community in August along with his wife, Jeannie Brinkley,  who was employed as the school’s principal. She is no longer in that position and the assistant principal, Jamie Cowart has taken over duties as principal.

The investigation is continuing.

  Alaska, investigation, lamce.brinkly, murder, selawik, timothy snyder