From the Attorney General’s Office:

March 14, 2022 (Anchorage, AK) – A man wanted in connection with the 1995 death of David Burdette of Anchorage has been arrested in the Dominican Republic and extradited to Anchorage to face trial.

Ruben Fernandez, 47, was arrested by agents of the U.S. Marshals Service on Feb. 24. He was arraigned last week in Anchorage Superior Court. He is charged with murder in the first degree. He is currently in the Anchorage Jail on $500,000 bail.

Fernandez is accused of shooting and killing Burdette in the parking lot of an Anchorage fast food restaurant on May 20, 1995. He had been at large since the incident.

Fernandez’s arrest, deportation and extradition were coordinated and facilitated by the U.S. Marshals Alaska Violent Offender Fugitive Task Force and its Dominican Republic Foreign Field Office.

“The partnerships forged among law enforcement in Alaska continue to prove beneficial and productive in the best interest of justice and public safety,” said U.S. Marshal Rob Heun.

The Anchorage Police Department investigated the case.

“Detectives with the Anchorage Police Department recently received new information that ultimately led to the arrest,” said Anchorage Police Chief Michael Kerle. “APD’s Cold Case Unit will continue to work to forward the legal process. The Anchorage Police Department is grateful to the U.S. Marshals, FBI, and Alaska State Troopers, who assisted with this case over the years. Strong partnerships with our law enforcement partners allowed us to arrest the defendant in this case.” 

If convicted at trial, Fernandez faces a maximum sentence of 99 years imprisonment.

Charges are only allegations and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.