Homicide; 8800-block Cordell Circle

From the Attorney General’s Office:

June 3, 2020(Anchorage, AK) – On June 2, 2020, an Anchorage grand jury indicted 73 year-old Robert Joseph Thomas for the stabbing death of 71 year-old Rose Warren at an assisted living home on March 25, 2020.

Shortly after 1:30 A.M. on March 25th, Anchorage police received a call reporting a stabbing on the second floor of the assisted living home. According to the initial charging document, an attendant at the facility heard a scream as if the person was “in dire need” and ran upstairs to investigate. The attendant saw Mr. Thomas exit the victim’s bedroom covered in blood and carrying a knife. This is also captured on the facility’s internal surveillance camera. The attendant confronted Mr. Thomas who had begun washing blood from the knife in the shared bathroom sink and escorted him downstairs before assisting to the victim.

The indictment charges Mr. Thomas with Murder in the First and Second Degrees as well as Tampering with Physical Evidence.

Ms. Warren was transported to a local hospital but succumbed to her wounds.

The charges against Mr. Thomas are only allegations, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted at trial he faces between 30 and 99 years of imprisonment for Murder in the First Degree, and between 15 and 99 years for Murder in the Second Degree.

Mr. Thomas is scheduled to be arraigned on these charges on June 4, 2020.

Update 3/25/20 at 10:04 a.m. :
The victim has been identified as Rose Warren (71-years-old).

Next of kin procedures have been completed.

Update 3/25/20 at 9:30 a.m.:
Detectives interviewed the adult male in custody and determined he is the suspect. He was arrested and transported to jail.

He’s been identified as Robert Thomas (73-years-old). He faces multiple charges including Murder 1, Murder 2 and Tampering with Physical Evidence.

The victim’s identity will be released once next of kin procedures have been completed.

Original 3/25/20 at 3:15 a.m.:
On 3/25/20 around 1:30 a.m., Dispatch received a report of a stabbing in the 8800 block of Cordell Circle.

The preliminary investigation found that there was an altercation inside a residence. Officers with the Patrol Division found an adult female inside stabbed multiple times in the upper body. She was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead. Officers took an adult male into custody for questioning and are not looking for any additional people at this time.

There will be a large police presence in the area as the investigation continues.

APD Case: 20-9912