FBI says string of deaths in Nome, Alaska was not the work of a serial killer

A string of disappearances and mysterious deaths of Native villagers visiting Nome was not the work of a serial killer, an FBI analysis of the cases has concluded.

An FBI study of 24 missing persons and suspicious death cases assembled by Nome police said excessive alcohol consumption and a harsh winter climate were common ties in many of the cases. In nine of the cases, where no bodies were ever found, state and local investigators said they will continue to search for new leads.

The FBI conclusions were summarized at a news conference Thursday morning in Nome called by the Native nonprofit Kawerak Inc., which has been working with law enforcement and other Nome-area Native and civic groups on the disappearances.

A list of victims' names in 20 cases was released by local officials last year in an effort to solicit information from the public. Nome police said they plan to talk with families of the victims in the coming weeks before releasing an updated list of names and an explanation of what they think happened.

Of the 24 cases, three are being left alone at the request of families, two had already been prosecuted criminally, and one was a snowmachine accident, said Nome Police Chief Craig Moates. In nine of the cases, a re-examination of available evidence produced "definitive outcomes," Moates said. He said alcohol was a common factor in those cases.

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