In a stunning turn of events that has revitalized a decades-old mystery, Alaska State Troopers have arrested Christopher Popps, 54, in connection with the 1993 murder of his former co-worker, Patrick Orville Dearth. The breakthrough came after an anonymous tipster, later identified as Popps, confessed to the crime more than 30 years after Dearth vanished from Fairbanks. Dearth was reported missing in November 1993, leaving investigators with virtually no leads for three decades. The anonymous confession, received on January 22, 2025, by the Alaska Bureau of Investigation’s Cold Case Investigation Unit, initiated a renewed search. Despite initial delays due to snow and limited daylight, investigators returned in May 2025 to a remote area near Mile 47 of the Steese Highway, where they discovered human remains encased in a barrel. The Alaska State Medical Examiner’s Office positively identified the remains as Dearth and officially ruled his death a homicide. As the investigation intensified, authorities identified Popps as the anonymous tipster who had made multiple confessions to various Alaska law enforcement agencies. While the motive behind Popps’ delayed confessions remains unclear, investigators determined that an altercation at an auto shop led Popps to fatally shoot Dearth. A Fairbanks grand jury indicted Popps on two counts of second-degree murder on June 25, 2026, leading to his arrest by Michigan State Police near Kalamazoo on July 16. Popps is currently jailed awaiting extradition to Alaska.
Adapted from: U.S. News Today on Fox News
