David Grunwald: Senseless Murder in Alaska

On November 13, 2016, the small town of Palmer, Alaska, was rocked by the news that 16-year-old David Grunwald had gone missing. Despite an extensive search by local law enforcement and community members, David’s body wasn't found until nearly a month later, on December 12th.

The cause of death was determined to be a single gunshot wound, and the investigation into his murder led to the arrest of four individuals, all of whom were acquaintances of David’s.

Grunwald's Life

David Benjamin Grunwald was born on September 22nd, 2000, and grew up in Palmer, a city in the Alaskan borough of Matanuska-Susitna, with parents Ben and Edie Grunwald and his younger sister. In many ways, David was a typical smalltown teenager. He loved spending time in his hometown's abundant wilderness and often went hunting and fishing with his father.

Known for his kind and easygoing nature, David was well-liked by his peers. He had an adventurous spirit and loved to explore new places and try new activities. He was an active member of his community and participated in volunteer work.

David was a sophomore at Colony High School, where he was involved in the school’s robotics club and had taken a keen interest in mechanics and engineering. David was a dedicated student in school and well-respected by his teachers and classmates. At the time of his disappearance, David was looking forward to graduating from high school and pursuing a degree in engineering. His parents said he had dreams of being a pilot in the military.

David's disappearance came as a devastating loss to his family and friends and shocked the entire community, who couldn’t believe that such a tragic event could happen in their town.

The Disappearance and Search

On the night of November 13th, 2016, David had plans to go to a local hangout spot known as “The Butte,” a popular area for teens in the area. However, he never arrived at the designated location and did not return home that night. The next morning when David still hadn't returned, his parents became worried and contacted the police to report him missing.

The search for David began immediately and was led by the Alaska State Troopers, with the assistance of local law enforcement agencies and volunteer search and rescue teams. The search was extensive, covering a large area of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, including the woods, mountains, and rivers.

The search was aided by the use of K-9 units, drones, and helicopters. The local community also came together to search for David, with volunteers joining the effort and donating their time and resources to help find him.

Despite the extensive search, there was no sign of David or any indication of what may have happened to him. The Grunwald family was devastated by the lack of leads and clues. As days turned into weeks, the hope of finding David alive began to fade.

The case was heavily covered by local and national news outlets and gained attention on social media websites, where the hashtag #FindDavidGrunwald trended on Facebook and Twitter. Residents of Mat-Su, Palmer, and the entire state of Alaska prayed for David’s safe return.

Unfortunately, the search ended in tragedy.

The Arrest of Erick Almandinger

On November 30th, 2016, just over two weeks after David’s disappearance, a local teenager, 16-year-old Erick Almandinger, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Almandinger was a former classmate of David's at Colony High School and had been named as a person of interest early in the investigation.

According to the Anchorage Daily News, on the night he went missing, David Grunwald had attended a party at Almandinger's home, where he smoked marijuana with a small group of kids behind the house.

David, who came from a military family and had a strict curfew, didn't know Almandinger's friends Dominic Johnson, Bradley Renfro, and Austin Barrett. Like Almandinger, they came from more troubled homes and struggled to stay in school.

The four teens were described by police as "gang-obsessed." At some point after smoking, they trapped David inside a bathroom and pistol-whipped him.

“After the beating, Grunwald was driven for nearly half an hour in his own vehicle, walked into the woods near the Knik River, and executed. Grunwald’s vehicle was discovered burned, miles away near the Talkeetna Mountains. Grunwald’s body was found nineteen days later ...”

Evidence and Motive

Baffled, parents in the community wondered how such a violent act could have been perpetrated by mere children. Why did it happen?

The only shred of an answer was revealed in galling court documents submitted by Alaska State Troopers.

Sgt. Tony Wegrzyn wrote in an affidavit:

"The only motive that Almandinger indicated was present during the event was that (David) had smoked all his weed. Almandinger showed very little if any remorse for his actions, and only shed tears when advised his 'friends' had talked to the police."

When authorities began investigating and interviewing individuals close to Almandinger, they spoke with a teenage peer to whom the suspect had confessed. That same informant, who was unnamed in court records, took police to the wooded location where Grunwald's body was found.

Authorities soon found and searched a 1971 camper trailer, where they discovered "an overwhelming odor of bleach" and multiple positive tests for blood linking Almandinger to the crime. Troopers also obtained search warrants to access electronic evidence, including cellular location records on a Samsung tablet owned by Almandinger, which placed him close to Grunwald's Bronco at the time it was burned.

Almandinger, who was named the "ringleader" of the perpetrators, was arrested and held without bail. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Though relieved that David's killer had been caught, the news was devastating to the Grunwald family, who had been holding out hope that David would be found alive.

Sentencing and Aftermath

In 2018, Erick Almandinger and Dominic Johnson were found guilty of first-degree murder and kidnapping and received sentences of 99 years in prison.

Palmer Superior Court Judge Gregory Heath described the actions of Almandinger and his conspirators as "especially devastating" and incomprehensible:

“Mr. Almandinger was the only one that really knew David. He knew him as a friend as he stated. Why he would turn on a friend is beyond me. I really don’t understand it. He had done nothing wrong. For whatever reason, he chose to turn on him.”

During his sentencing, Almandiner stated:

“He was my friend. He was a good kid. And I killed my friend. That’s what happened. I killed somebody’s nephew. I killed somebody’s son. I destroyed somebody’s family.”

Accomplice Liability

Bradley Renfro's lawyer argued that Bradley was different from the other defendants and had been afraid of them. But District Attorney Melissa Howard successfully invoked the legal theory of accomplice liability, saying Bradley was “100% involved” in Grunwald’s death. He had suggested places to kill the boy and helped acquire the gas cans used to burn the Bronco, Howard told the court.

Renfro was found guilty of first-degree murder and kidnapping and sentenced to serve 75 years. Austin Barrett reached a plea deal and received a sentence of 45 years.

Devin Peterson was sentenced to six years for the Class C felonies of tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution, related to his actions when he hid guns used in the crime, as well as helping to torch Grunwald's vehicle.

After the sentencing, Judge Heath spoke of the sheer senselessness of the killing, which appeared to have no motive other than that the victim had smoked a small amount of the perpetrator's weed:

“There was something off in all four of these young people. I don’t know what motivated him to do that but it was not normal. And it was flat-out scary.”

DA Howard spoke of how the case shattered a family and a community:

“David Grunwald was a 16-year-old boy who was deeply loved by his family and friends, whose lives have been shattered by their loss and the haunting thoughts of what David endured the last hours of his life. The sentence imposed is reflective of the senseless brutality of the crime and the calculated steps the defendants took to cover it up.”

Grundwald's parents were devastated by the loss of their son and have been vocal about the impact his death had on their lives. They have also been actively involved in raising awareness of the dangers of violence and the importance of preventing such senseless acts in the future.

Impact on the Community

David’s murder sparked a sense of fear and insecurity in the community of Mat-Su and throughout Palmer, Alaska. Many residents felt a loss of trust and safety in their small town, which was previously thought of as a peaceful place to live.

In the years following David’s murder, the community has come together to honor his memory. A memorial scholarship was established in his name, to help support students pursuing careers in the fields of mechanics and engineering. Additionally, an annual memorial run was established to raise money for the scholarship.