Press Release

Jimmy Dale Cates Convicted of Murder, Attempted Sexual Assault, Arson, Tampering with Evidence

June 23, 2023

(Anchorage, AK) – Today, after a four-week trial in front of Superior Court Judge Kevin Saxby, an Anchorage jury found Jimmy Dale Cates guilty of one count of murder in the first degree, two counts of murder in the second degree, one count of attempted sexual assault in the first degree, two counts of arson in the first degree, one count of assault in the first degree, and three counts of tampering with evidence.

Cates, 57, was convicted for conduct that occurred on Jan. 23 and 24 in 2017. During that time, he assaulted a woman at her residence in an attempt to sexually assault her. He broke cartilage in her neck and lit a fire underneath her body. She subsequently died of smoke inhalation. Cates was captured on a nearby surveillance camera watching the residence on and off for several hours from outside of the building. When no fire was observed from the outside of the building during that time, he was seen on the video approaching the building and lighting multiple fires to the exterior of the building. The video showed he continued to watch as the fire caught and continued to burn. He remained on the scene until Anchorage Police Department, (APD), officers arrived. Cates then fled the scene and was convicted of altering or destroying various pieces of evidence.

Detectives with the APD’s Homicide Unit investigated this case in conjunction with the Anchorage Fire Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Ron Dupuis and Assistant Attorney General Paige Wright of the Office of Special Prosecutions. Sentencing is set for Dec. 1, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. in front of Judge Saxby. At sentencing, the two second-degree murder convictions will merge with the murder in the first-degree conviction. Because of Cates’ prior criminal history, which includes convictions from Alaska for attempted sexual assault in the first degree, assault in the third degree, and misconduct involving weapons in the first degree, as well as out-of-state convictions for rape, burglary, and aggravated assault, Cates faces a sentencing range of up to 510 years.

Contact: Assistant Attorney General Ron Dupuis or Assistant Attorney General Paige Wright at 269-6250.

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.