Clayton Charlie Sentenced to 55 Years in Prison for Murder of Zoo Groundskeeper
From the Attorney General’s Office:
January 27, 2022 (Anchorage, AK) – An Anchorage man was sentenced to serve 55 years in prison this week for killing an Anchorage Zoo groundskeeper and security guard in November 2018.
Clayton Andrew Charlie of Anchorage had previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the death of Michael Greco. Superior Court Judge Andrew Peterson sentenced Charlie to a total of 75 years in prison, with 20 of those years suspended.
On the evening of Nov. 4, 2018, Charlie stole his stepfather’s vehicle and drove it to the Anchorage Zoo, where he encountered Greco, who was filling in as the night watchman for another employee who had called in sick. An eyewitness reported to police that she saw two people in a physical altercation outside the zoo’s entrance. The eyewitness said one man was laying on the ground being punched repeatedly by the other man.
Greco’s body was discovered in the zoo parking lot the next day. He had suffered multiple stab wounds and had injuries consistent with being ran over by a vehicle.
Charlie stole Greco’s debit card and used it at multiple businesses to purchase food and gas. Anchorage Police Department homicide detectives obtained video footage from businesses where Charlie used Greco’s card and linked Charlie to the murder.
Charlie pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in October 2019 and entered a plea agreement with a sentencing range of 35 to 55 years in prison.
At sentencing, the judge considered the statutory sentencing factors in the context of Charlie’s extensive history of mental health issues to include his time spent in treatment inside and outside of institutional settings, his past criminal history, the facts of the underlying crime, the victim’s impact statements, his ability to be rehabilitated, and arguments of counsel.
Update on 10/29/19:
From the Alaska Department of Law:
October 29, 2019 (Anchorage, AK) – Earlier today, Clayton Charlie pled guilty to killing Michael Greco on the grounds of the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage on November 4, 2018.
The terms of the plea agreement required Mr. Charlie to plead guilty to Murder in the Second Degree in violation of AS 11.41.110(a)(2) and admit that he repeatedly stabbed the victim with a knife and ran him over with a vehicle, causing the victim’s death. The plea agreement requires a floor on imposed imprisonment of 35 years and a ceiling on imposed imprisonment of 55 years and that restitution be made to all victims. Sentencing under the plea agreement is in all other respects “open,” meaning the amount of suspended time, the length of the probationary term, probation conditions, and parole eligibility eligibility/restriction are all left to the discretion of the court. Per the agreement, Mr. Charlie will remain in custody pending sentencing.
UPDATE 11/16/18 4pm:
Detectives have identified Clayton Charlie (33-years-old) as the suspect in this investigation.
The preliminary investigation found that on 11/4/18 around 2 p.m. the suspect stole a red 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe from a residence on Vance Drive after violating multiple protective orders. A warrant was issued for his arrest and a stolen vehicle report was made. Around 7 p.m., the suspect was in the Alaska Zoo parking lot and got into an altercation with the victim. The suspect stabbed the victim multiple times, drove over him, and fled the scene in the stolen vehicle. Detectives discovered the suspect began using the victim’s credit card at various locations after he fled the scene. They obtained surveillance video from those locations and were able to identify Charlie as the suspect in this investigation and connect him to the stolen vehicle investigation. Detectives then discovered the suspect was already in jail on his arrest warrant and the stolen vehicle investigation. Today, he faces an additional charge of Murder 1.
UPDATE on 11/7/18 11:45am:
The deceased person found in the parking lot of the Alaska Zoo on November 5, 2018, has been identified as 45-year-old Michael R. Greco. Greco died as a result of trauma to the body and his death is now being investigated as a homicide.
The type and cause of trauma is part of the investigation and will not be released at this time.
Detectives are still seeking information regarding this crime. Anyone who has surveillance footage of the area, or additional information, is asked to call Dispatch at 3-1-1 (option #1). To remain anonymous, you may contact Crime Stoppers at 561-STOP or online at www.anchoragecrimestoppers.com.
ORIGINAL on 11/5/18:
On 11/5/18 around 7:45 a.m., Dispatch received a report of a body found at the Alaska Zoo (4731 O’Malley Road).
Officers with the Patrol Division located the body of an adult male lying in the lower parking lot. Officers have closed that area of the parking lot. There will be a large police presence at the zoo as detectives investigate.
Anyone with information about this investigation, please call Dispatch at 311 (option #1).
APD Case: 18-44546
