3 charged with murdering Fairbanks antiques dealer

Court documents filed Wednesday allege the three men planned to kill 62-year-old Daniel Frederick to hinder a military investigation.

Raymond Jones, 29, Michael C. Moore, 23 -- both Fort Wainwright soldiers -- and 21-year-old Brian Towndrow also are charged with robbery and tampering with evidence. Towndrow was discharged from the Army earlier this year and faces sentencing on a charge of sexual assault of a minor in an unrelated case.

Bail for each is set at $1 million.

The men were arrested Saturday after Frederick was reported missing. Authorities tracked the men through an iPhone purchase charged on one of Frederick's credit cards.

Frederick's body was later found in a wooded area. Frederick, the owner of Blondie's Antiques, had been beaten and strangled.

The court papers say the men killed Frederick in what was described only as "a matter that military authorities were investigating."

The men acknowledged using Frederick's credit and debit cards to rack up thousands of dollars worth of electronics purchases, according to the court documents. Authorities say the men initially denied any involvement in Frederick's disappearance.

Towndrow later contacted an officer at the Fairbanks Correctional Center and asked to speak with police. Authorities say Towndrow told police where to find Frederick's body, in a sleeping bag buried under snow.

On Monday, Moore told police Frederick was killed Dec. 11.

Authorities say Moore and Towndrow met with Frederick in his home while Jones waited outside in a truck and that Moore initially left because he could not go through with the murder. He told police, however, that he returned moments later, pushed Frederick to the floor and then Towndrow strangled the man, according to the complaint.

Afterward, Towndrow tried to wipe up the crime scene with window cleaner, authorities said.

Information from Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, www.newsminer.com.