Crime & Courts

Suspect in killing at Spenard Road hotel admitted pulling trigger, police say

A 20-year-old man admitted shooting and killing another man at a Spenard Road hotel Saturday night, authorities said in charging documents released Monday.

Theandrea Luster, charged with murder, admitted that he shot Javon Diggs, a Barratt Inn employee, several times in the chest, according to an affidavit filed Sunday by Anchorage police detective Jade Baker.

Luster initially denied being in the Barratt Inn on Saturday but later admitted shooting of Diggs, 40, after the detective showed Luster security footage of himself and family members at the scene, according to the affidavit.

Luster caught investigators’ attention about 2 a.m. Sunday when police were called to a “disturbance” at an apartment building at 323 Meyer St. in Mountain View, possibly involving suspects at the inn shooting five hours earlier, Baker wrote.

Police found Luster, who was on probation, with a 9mm handgun. Luster had previous criminal convictions on Nov. 13 for disorderly conduct and fifth-degree weapons misconduct, and Oct. 25 for first-degree vehicle theft, the affidavit said.

When Luster was taken to Anchorage Police Department headquarters, Detective Baker recognized him from the video at the inn, the affidavit says.

During an interview with Baker and another officer at 3:30 a.m. Sunday, Baker showed Luster a photograph that put him at the shooting scene, wearing the same clothing.

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Luster told authorities his mother, Ygnacia Vidal, and his brother, Kenneth Horton, had gone to the hotel, possibly to spend the night there, the affidavit said.

Luster said his mother wanted to visit Diggs, also called “Flip," because the hotel employee “owed her something.”

Outside Room 2304, which was registered to Diggs, he began arguing and shoved Luster’s mother and brother aside, Luster told authorities.

Diggs reached “aggressively” into his belt, Luster said. In response, Luster pulled out his pistol and shot Diggs several times, he said.

Luster said he did not know whether Diggs had a gun. Luster and others fled out the hotel’s main entrance.

Luster said he never saw Diggs hit the ground.

Alex DeMarban

Alex DeMarban is a longtime Alaska journalist who covers business, the oil and gas industries and general assignments. Reach him at 907-257-4317 or alex@adn.com.

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