Homicide; 100-block Oklahoma Street
Update on 12/21/23:
From the Attorney General’s Office:
Dec. 21, 2023 (Anchorage, AK) – Yesterday, 24-year-old Christopher Wayne Espiritu-Simpson was sentenced by Anchorage Superior Court Judge Jack McKenna for shooting into an apartment on Dec. 27, 2017, and for murdering 19-year-old Juanita Lolesio on Dec. 30, 2017, in Anchorage.
Espiritu-Simpson previously pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder one count of second-degree weapons misconduct for shootings on Dec. 27, 2017, and Dec. 30, 2017.
On Dec. 27, 2017, Espiritu-Simpson and a juvenile shot at an apartment believed to be occupied by a rival gang member. Nobody was injured in that shooting. This conduct was the basis of the second-degree weapons misconduct conviction. On Dec. 30, 2017, Espiritu-Simpson and the same juvenile learned that a party bus was alleged to contain opposing gang members. The party bus was occupied by at least 16 people in celebration of a birthday. Espiritu-Simpson and the juvenile located the party bus and fired more than a dozen rounds into it. Lolesio was hit during the shooting. Lolesio remained on life support for 17 days before ultimately dying as a result of the gunshot wound. Espiritu-Simpson told police that he was one of the shooters of the party bus when interviewed. This conduct was the basis of the second-degree murder conviction.
At sentencing, the court was permitted to sentence Espiritu-Simpson to a sentence of active imprisonment between 15 and 60 years. The State requested a sentence of 50 years to serve. The defense requested a sentence between 20 to 30 years to serve. Several members of Lolesio’s family spoke at an emotional sentencing hearing. Lolesio was described as “the most genuine sweet soul” who loved her family and friends more than anything. She was an honor roll student with an infectious giggle. Other people on the bus, including her younger sister, described the horror of being on the bus and described continuing to have nightmares, being unable to celebrate birthdays, and constant fear and anxiety in social situations.
Judge McKenna found that Espiritu-Simpson’s conduct was especially aggravated and was among the most serious second-degree murder cases. He also determined that it was motivated to further gang activity and said the defendant was lucky that only one person was hit. Espiritu-Simpson was sentenced by Judge McKenna to 60 years with 25 years suspended on the second-degree murder conviction. He was sentenced to two years to serve for the second-degree weapons misconduct conviction per agreement of the parties. He will be placed on felony probation supervision for a period of 10 years upon release.
This case was investigated by the Anchorage Police Department’s homicide unit. Espiritu-Simpson is currently in the custody of the Alaska Department of Corrections.
Update on 8/21/23:
From the Attorney General’s Office:
Aug. 18, 2023 (Anchorage, AK) – Today, 24-year-old Christopher Espiritu-Simpson pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the second degree and one count of misconduct involving weapons in the second degree for two shootings in Anchorage in December 2017. Anchorage Superior Court Judge Jack McKenna accepted Espiritu-Simpson’s guilty plea to the charges.
On December 27, 2017, Espiritu-Simpson fired multiple shots into a vehicle and occupied residences on Stella Place in Anchorage. Nobody was injured in that shooting. Three days later, on December 30, 2017, Espiritu-Simpson and another individual fired multiple shots into a party bus occupied by numerous people on Oklahoma Street in Anchorage. 19-year-old Juanita Lolesio, a rider on the party bus, was shot and died as a result of her injuries. The case was investigated by the Anchorage Police Department.
The court will determine Espiritu-Simpson’s sentence at a hearing scheduled on December 20, 2023. The court ordered the Alaska Department of Corrections to prepare a presentence report to assist with sentencing. Per the agreement of the parties, Judge McKenna may impose a sentence of up to 60 years of active imprisonment for the second-degree murder conviction. Espiritu-Simpson will serve two years for the December 27 shooting. Espiritu-Simpson is currently in the custody of the Alaska Department of Corrections and is no longer permitted to be released on conditions of release.
Update on 2/11/18:
On February 10th, detectives with the Homicide Unit and officers with the Investigative Support Unit (ISU) served a search warrant for a residence in the 900 block of East 20th Avenue. The warrant was in reference to a homicide investigation and a shots fired investigation. Detectives took two suspects (an adult male and a juvenile male) into custody for questioning. They were eventually arrested and transported to jail.
The preliminary shots fired investigation found that on 12/27/17 at 1:44 a.m., the suspects fired multiple shots at a residence in the 6700 block of Stella Place. No one was injured.
The preliminary homicide investigation (see below) found that on 12/30/17 at 2:59 a.m., the suspects fired multiple shots at a party bus dropping people off at an apartment complex in the area of Oklahoma Street and Boundary Avenue. An adult female on the bus was shot in the upper body. No one else was injured.
The adult male suspect has been identified as Christopher Espiritu-Simpson (19 years old). He faces charges including Murder 2 and multiple counts of Misconduct Involving a Weapon. Charges are pending against the juvenile male.
If you have information to help solve a crime and are afraid to give your name, call Crime Stoppers at 561-STOP or go online at www.anchoragecrimestoppers.com. You can remain anonymous and still help us catch the criminals.
Update 1/15/18:
The victim from the December 30th Oklahoma Street shooting has died. She has been identified as Juanita Lolesio. This case is being investigated as a homicide.
There is no suspect information to release at this time.
Anyone with information about this case should call police at (907) 786-8900 and press 0 or to remain anonymous call Crime Stoppers at (907) 561-STOP.
Original on 12/30/17:
On December 30th at 2:59am APD responded to a shots fired call near the 100 block of Oklahoma Street where multiple shell casings were found. At 3:13am an adult female arrived at a local hospital with life threatening gunshot wounds. Multiple witnesses were with the female and were questioned by APD. There is no suspect information to release at this time. If anyone has information regarding his case please call APD at (907) 786-8900 or to stay anonymous call Crime Stoppers at (907) 561-STOP.
APD Case: 17-53433 (homicide)
APD Case: 17-52993 (shots fired)
