A man from Crooked Creek faces homicide charges in the August death of his girlfriend, Cheryl Sakar, also from Crooked Creek. He was arraigned Oct. 8.
Harold “Miles” Gregory, age 29, faces two counts of second degree murder and one count of first degree murder.
An Alaska State Trooper affidavit laid out what happened to 30-year-old Sakar. Someone found Sakar dead in the house she shared with Gregory, her boyfriend, and notified the troopers on Aug. 9. The report said that Sakar had died the night before.
Upon arrival, the troopers found a large amount of blood at the scene and Sakar’s body, beaten. Troopers also found an empty whiskey bottle, along with a full one inside the house. Two witnesses were at the house the night Sakar died and saw her lying injured on the ground, bleeding. One witness told investigators that he tried to fight Gregory when he saw Sakar’s injuries, but Gregory overpowered him so he left. The other witness said that he tried to help Sakar off the ground, but couldn’t. He left the house after becoming upset at seeing Sakar injured.
The court documents say that Sakar had called her brother around 10 p.m. on the night she died, leaving a voicemail that recorded an aggressive confrontation between Sakar and Gregory.
The suspect told troopers his version of the events: Gregory said that he drank that night until he blacked out, and woke up to see the injuries on his girlfriend’s face. Gregory says that he “most likely” caused them. Gregory also admitted to beating her on at least five previous occasions. Troopers arrested him on Sept. 22, a month-and-a half after the alleged murder. The medical examiner determined that Sakar died from multiple blows around her abdomen and thorax. She also had injuries to her head and spine.
Crooked Creek does not have anypublic safety presence. Alaska State Troopers posted in Aniak are the closest law enforcement, more than 50 miles down the Kuskokwim River.
The date for Gregory’s next court hearing is Nov. 27.