Homicide; 4000-block Lore Road
Update from the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office:
On October 5, 2018, Superior Court Judge Catherine Easter sentenced Trayvon Morrissette to serve 95 years in prison for the July 4, 2016, murder of Jorge Rea-Villa, Jr. Judge Easter also imposed a 4-year sentence for first degree burglary and ordered that this time be served consecutively.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Morrissette attended a barbeque on July 4th, 2016, with several others at an Anchorage residence. During the barbeque Morrissette went into a bathroom, drew a 9mm handgun and shot the victim nine times. Morrissette left the residence, got in his car, and drove away. Other residents heard the gun shots and called 911, reporting that the victim was dead and that Morrissette had shot him for no reason.
Morrissette was seen minutes later driving into a secure parking garage beneath a nearby apartment complex. After hiding in one of the apartments, Morrissette fled from the building on foot. Multiple people called Anchorage Police to report contacts with a man matching Morrissette’s description as he fled around the area of Campbell Creek. These reports assisted a police canine unit in finding Morrissette shortly thereafter hiding under a stairway near another apartment building.
Morrisette testified at trial that he was suffering from paranoia induced by methamphetamine usage.
Judge Easter, who presided over Morrissette's trial, said that first degree murder is the most serious crime recognized under Alaska law. She called Morrissette's prospects for rehabilitation "guarded". Judge Easter told Morrissette, "I have no doubt that if I somehow had the ability to release you today, you would go right back into using drugs." Observing that Morrissette had previously been convicted of first-degree assault, Judge Easter warned him that "your confinement is necessary to prevent further harm to the public."
Assistant District Attorney James Klugman, who prosecuted the case, noted that this murder occurred during a homicide epidemic in Anchorage. "Our city cannot tolerate these heinous crimes," he said. "Drug impairment is never an excuse for murder, and those who make the choice to take the life of an innocent person should expect no safe harbor in our courts of justice." ADA Klugman also expressed his appreciation to the work of the officers of the Anchorage Police Department and to the members of the community who assisted in Morrissette's apprehension.
UPDATE 7/6/16:
Anchorage Police responded to a call of a shooting at a trailer home located at the 4000 block of Lore Road at about 7:45 PM Monday night. Upon arrival, officers discovered Jorge Rea-Villa, 30, inside the home suffering from several gunshot wounds; he was declared dead at the scene. A group of friends were gathered at the residence for a holiday barbecue when the shooting took place. The witnesses identified the shooter as Trayvon Morrissette, 32, of Anchorage. The witnesses said Morrissette and Rea-Villa knew each other but they did not know why Morrissette would have shot Rea-Villa.
Following the shooting, Morrissette fled the area in a tan sedan. About an hour later, officers responded to the 600 block of West 76th where a resident reported a person matching Morrissette’s description had broken into his apartment and barricaded himself inside while locking the resident out. As police arrived, Morrissette fled the apartment on foot. APD received additional reports of break-ins and attempted break-ins in the area with suspect description consistent for Morrissette. Several citizens called police and relayed information as to Morrissette’s whereabouts; he was ultimately located hiding in a stairwell at the 7400 block of Foxridge Way at about 10:22 PM.
Trayvon Morrissette was arrested and charged with Murder 1 and Burglary. He was taken to the Anchorage Jail with bail set at $500,000.
UPDATE - A suspect in this evening's shooting on Lore Road has been taken into custody and transported to the Anchorage Police Department for questioning.
ORIGINAL RELEASE - At 7:44 PM, on Monday, July 4, 2016, Anchorage Police responded to a trailer on the 4000 block of Lore Road in reference to a male being shot. Upon arrival police found a deceased adult male, who had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, inside the home.
There have been no arrests, but police are following up on suspect information. This does not appear to be a random event.
More information will be released once it becomes available.
Case 16-27932
