Crime & Courts

Anchorage man sought in connection to January homicide now wanted for robbery

An Anchorage man with connections to a January homicide is now wanted for robbery, police say.

Aarron Settje, 32, shoplifted from the Sportsman's Warehouse store on the Old Seward Highway around 5 p.m. Tuesday, then yelled for a man in a nearby vehicle after store security confronted him, Anchorage police said in an alert. The other man, later identified as Stephen Settje, 27, pulled out a pistol and threatened store personnel, police said.

Both men left the scene, police said. Nobody was hurt.

Police didn't specify whether or how the Settjes are related.

Police identified Aarron Settje by viewing surveillance videos at the store, said APD spokeswoman Renee Oistad. He's wanted on an arrest warrant for first-degree robbery.

Settje is a "person of interest" in the Jan. 13 homicide of 33-year-old Kortez Brown in East Anchorage. He is already wanted on five outstanding felony warrants and two outstanding misdemeanor warrants for seven separate cases.

Oistad said she couldn't say why Settje is wanted in connection with the January shooting because no charges have been filed in the homicide.

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Another man sought in connection with Brown's death was arrested in mid-January on outstanding warrants.

Police describe Aarron Settje as 5 feet, 11 inches tall and 230 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. Stephen Settje, also wanted by police on a felony arrest warrant, was described as 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing 200 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information about their whereabouts can call dispatch at 907-786-8900 and press "0" to speak with an operator. Anyone who wants to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at anchoragecrimestoppers.com or 907-561-STOP.

There have been no arrests made in any of the murders so far this year in Anchorage, police say. Timothy Smith, 39, died in a downtown shooting just after midnight New Year's Day. An as-yet unidentified person died in a shooting Sunday night near Spenard Road.

Zaz Hollander

Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. She covers breaking news, the Mat-Su region, aviation and general assignments. Contact her at zhollander@adn.com.

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