Crime & Courts

Anchorage triple homicide witness reenacts shooting during third day of testimony

On Wednesday, Anchorage jurors watched 28-year-old Michael Dupree reenact what he said happened when Tony Pisano allegedly shot and killed Dupree’s best friend and business partner in their gold shop in 2017.

Pisano, now 45, is on trial and facing nine counts of murder in the deaths of 31-year-old Steven Cook, who opened The Bullion Brothers with Dupree; 48-year-old Kenneth Hartman; and 31-year-old Daniel McCreadie.

[Conflicting narratives emerge on first day of trial over 2017 triple homicide at Spenard gold shop]

The prosecution and defense have offered conflicting accounts of who shot Cook. Pisano fatally shot Hartman and McCreadie, although attorneys disagree on whether he acted in self-defense.

Cook and Dupree opened the Spenard gold shop in 2015 and met Pisano through an Anchorage police officer. Pisano was retiring from the military and launching a tactical weapons supply business. He became friends with Cook and Dupree, who loaned him several thousand dollars, and helped “beef up security” at the store, Dupree said.

Prosecutors say Pisano planned to kill the men as a way to solve his financial woes. But by 2017, Dupree was leaving the business. Pisano’s attorneys said Dupree, the only other surviving person who was present during the September 2017 shooting, killed Cook during an argument.

On Wednesday, Dupree reenacted how Pisano allegedly slammed him onto the desk before pushing Cook up against a wall in the shop. Dupree told jurors Pisano fired multiple shots at Cook.

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“I remember feeling that Steve was already dead,” he said.

Dupree reached for Pisano from behind and said he tried to calm him down before realizing the armed man was going to turn the gun on him next. He said the shooting was “100% unexpected” from the usually calm and collected Pisano. Dupree initially believed Pisano mistakenly shot Cook during a flashback from his Army service, he said.

[Two very different images emerge of Anchorage triple-murder suspect]

The two men wrestled from behind, moving into the middle of the shop before Dupree said he wrangled the gun from Pisano and ran out the front door.

“Despite the fact that he was shooting your business partner and best friend between two and seven times, you did not step back and shoot Mr. Pisano, did you?” questioned defense attorney Kevin Fitzgerald.

Dupree told jurors he didn’t react by grabbing his own weapon but instead tried to disarm Pisano. He called 911 after fleeing the store.

[Family and friends honor men slain in Spenard triple homicide]

There is no surveillance video of the shooting and Pisano can be seen turning off the cameras the morning of the shooting.

Dupree is expected to continue testifying Thursday. It’s unclear how long the trial could last, but it could extend into mid-March.

Tess Williams

Tess Williams is a reporter focusing on breaking news and public safety. Before joining the ADN in 2019, she was a reporter for the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota. Contact her at twilliams@adn.com.

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