Press Release

Anthony Salazar and Haitim Taha Sentenced for 2017 Murder of Leroy Lawrence

August 22, 2023

(Anchorage, AK) – Yesterday, Anchorage Superior Court Judge Jack McKenna sentenced 22-year-old Anthony Raymond Salazar and 26-year-old Haitim Mahir Taha for the April 7, 2017, murder of Leroy Lawrence in Anchorage.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree assault for the April 7, 2017, drive-by shooting in Mountain View that resulted in the death of Leroy Lawrence on his 17th birthday. Salazar, who was 16 years old at the time of the murder, was also sentenced on an additional consolidated count of first-degree weapons misconduct for firing from a motor vehicle during the murder and for a separate drive-by shooting on August 23, 2017. Salazar was convicted and sentenced as an adult pursuant to Alaska Statute 47.12.030.

On April 7, 2017, after a brief exchange with two individuals at a local hospital, Salazar and Taha followed those individuals to Mountain View, which ultimately resulted in shots being fired from Taha’s vehicle. Leroy Lawrence happened to be walking in the area at the time of the shooting and was struck by a bullet that ultimately resulted in his death. Lawrence was not one of the individuals involved in the dispute with Salazar and Taha. Another individual was also shot during the shooting, which was the basis of the first-degree assault conviction.

Salazar was also involved in a drive-by shooting of a residence on Schodde Street. Nobody was injured during this shooting.

Per the agreement of the parties, Salazar was sentenced to a composite sentence of 50 years with 25 years suspended. He will be placed on felony probation supervision for a period of 10 years upon release. Taha was sentenced to a composite sentence of 40 years with 20 years suspended. He will also be placed on felony probation supervision for a period of 10 years upon release.

Several members of Lawrence’s family spoke at the sentencing hearing and described the impact the loss of Lawrence’s life has had on their family. Judge McKenna expressed his condolences for the family and found that the sentence was appropriate given the circumstances of this case. These cases were investigated by the Anchorage Police Department’s homicide unit and robbery-assault unit.

Salazar and Taha are both currently in the custody of the Alaska Department of Corrections.

CONTACT: Anchorage Assistant District Attorney Patrick McKay at (907) 269-6300 or patrick.mckay@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.