Press Release

Fairbanks Jury Finds Tessa Hillyer Guilty of Murder in the Second Degree

December 10, 2025

(Fairbanks, AK) – A Fairbanks jury returned a guilty verdict against 38-year-old Tessa Hillyer, of Fairbanks, for Murder in the Second Degree. Hillyer faces a sentence of between 15 years and 99 years. The jury acquitted Hillyer of the charge of Murder in the First Degree.

On May 6, 2025, Hillyer’s stepmom called Alaska State Troopers (AST) and reported that Hillyer told her she had killed someone. AST responded to the scene at Whitefish Campground in Fairbanks. Hillyer and her stepmom were present at the scene when AST arrived. The body of the victim, Raymond M. McPherson Jr., 48, was discovered at the campground. He had suffered six gunshot wounds. There were two gunshot wounds to his head, three to his torso, and one to his leg. The gunshot wounds to his head were at a downward angle and the wounds to his torso entered in McPherson’s back and side. A .22 caliber pistol was present on top of McPherson’s hand and five .22 caliber spent shell casings were found near the body. No other weapons were located at the scene.

Hillyer initially told her stepmom that McPherson had assaulted her, so she shot him. Hillyer had a visible bruise developing on her eye. DNA on the pistol’s trigger grip matched Hillyer’s. McPherson had a blood alcohol level of .36 at the time of his death. Hillyer’s blood alcohol level was over the legal limit six hours after the reported shooting.

At trial, Hillyer testified that she and McPherson were friends and that she shot him in self-defense. She stated that she drove McPherson to her campsite at Whitefish Campground early in the day on May 6, 2025. While there, McPherson tried to force Hillyer to touch his penis and then struck her in the face. Hillyer shoved McPherson away and he backed off. Hillyer then got inside of her van. Hillyer testified that she was unable to find her keys, so she retrieved her pistol from the van and began searching for her keys at the campground. She testified that while doing so McPherson lunged at her and that she then shot him until the magazine was empty.

Hillyer is in the custody of the Department of Corrections and is being held on a no-bail status pending her sentencing, which is currently scheduled for May 11, 2026.

CONTACT: District Attorney Joe Dallaire at (907) 451-5970 or joe.dallaire@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.