Press Release

Jury Convicts Kuach Chuol Kuach For 2017 Murder of Devan McDonald

July 18, 2023

(Anchorage, Alaska) – Today, an Anchorage jury found 26-year-old Kuach Chuol Kuach guilty of murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, tampering with physical evidence, and misconduct involving weapons in the third degree for the 2017 killing of 22 year old Devan McDonald.  The Honorable Judge Michael Wolverton presided over the five-week jury trial.

The evidence presented at trial established that on the morning of December 10, 2017, Kuach shot McDonald, who was in still in bed from the previous night.  Kuach immediately fled the scene and attempted to hide the murder weapon, which was found by a member of the community the following day. The weapon was then turned into the Anchorage Police Department.  Kuach was also previously convicted of felony Misconduct Involving Weapons in the Third Degree just eight months prior to the murder.

Judge Wolverton remanded Kuach to the Department of Corrections, where Kuach will be held without bail pending sentencing on December 11, 2023.  He faces a sentencing range of 30 to 109 years.

Anchorage Assistant District Attorneys Cody Tirpak and Whitney Bostick prosecuted this case.  The Anchorage Police Department’s Homicide Unit investigated the murder.

CONTACT: Anchorage Assistant District Attorney Cody Tirpak at (907) 269-6300 or cody.tirpak@alaska.gov

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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.