Girl working as journey nurse at Soldotna hospital charged with homicide in native man’s killing

A 31-year-old girl from Virginia working as a journey nurse at a Kenai Peninsula hospital is going through first-degree homicide costs within the demise of a longtime native resident.

John “Skip” Dove Jr., 78, died Tuesday afternoon, a day after Alaska State Troopers carried out a welfare examine at Dove’s dwelling in Soldotna, in response to a felony grievance filed Thursday. For three months, Dove had sublet a downstairs room to LaShaunda Lewis, who labored as a behavioral well being nurse at Central Peninsula Hospital, the grievance stated.

On Monday round 7 p.m., troopers went to the house after considered one of Lewis’ members of the family known as to specific concern and stated Lewis was crying however couldn’t inform them why, in response to a sworn affidavit filed with the grievance by troopers investigator Kevin Gill.

Dove answered the door, unharmed, and stated Lewis was “acting stressed out” however wouldn’t discuss to him, Gill wrote. Lewis initially instructed the trooper she wanted a psychological analysis, however then went upstairs to speak with the trooper and Dove, who appeared compassionate together with her, the affidavit stated. She declined “immediate access” to psychological well being sources and the trooper left, it stated.

Just earlier than 4 p.m. Tuesday, a girl crying and respiration closely made a 911 name from Dove’s telephone, in response to the affidavit.

Troopers and medics discovered Lewis with a collection of what troopers described as self-inflicted stab wounds, considered one of them deep sufficient to require surgical procedure, in response to the affidavit. Lewis was taken to the hospital, the place she was described as making “nonsensical and/or incoherent statements,” Gill wrote.

Dove was discovered useless on the ground with quite a few stab wounds, in response to the affidavit. The mattress appeared to have been slept in by one particular person, the affidavit stated. It additionally appeared somebody had pressured entry into the room, it stated.

Troopers later recovered a strolling stick, an ice choose and a steak knife set lacking a knife, amongst different objects, the affidavit stated.

Interviewed on the hospital by troopers on Wednesday, Lewis described her relationship with Dove as “platonic roommates,” the affidavit stated. She spent her time at work or in her room, they usually often ate or made meals collectively, it stated.

Lewis offered a fragmented account of the incident through which Dove died, the affidavit stated.

She instructed troopers she’d simply gotten off a 12-hour shift and had been feeling “confused” all weekend, Gill wrote. She stated she took a sleeping support after which requested Dove to take her to the hospital so she may converse with a nursing supervisor or psychological well being director and bought into his truck, the affidavit stated.

“Without context, she indicated a belief that Dove was going to kill her,” Gill wrote. She stated she went to his bed room and requested if he was indignant together with her, he wrote. Lewis described “a struggle” however stated she had little reminiscence of the main points or how she grew to become injured, the affidavit stated.

A member of the family who arrived on the hospital to be with Lewis suggested her to invoke her rights to an legal professional and the trooper ended the interview, Gill wrote.

Gill, in an unusually private assertion on the finish of the affidavit, described Dove as a “Naval Vietnam Veteran, widower, outdoorsman, champion golfer, and artist.”

A hospital spokesman on Thursday stated he couldn’t touch upon the standing of Lewis as an worker. He stated the person concerned on this incident was presently receiving care and the hospital was cooperating with authorities.