Anchorage

Woman found dead in Anchorage homeless camp identified

The woman found dead at a homeless camp in Anchorage's University-Medical area on Feb. 9 has been identified by police as 31-year-old Maria M. Fairbanks.

Fairbanks' family has been told of her death, police said.

"There is no evidence of foul play at this time and the death remains under investigation pending toxicology results," police said in a news release.

Robbery and assault unit detectives are investigating the death, said Anchorage Police Department communications director Jennifer Castro.

The camp where police found Fairbanks is in an undeveloped area behind the wooded Folker Park, across the street from Anchorage Community Mental Health Inc.

Donald Ferguson, who'd been staying at the camp for more than a week, said he awoke on the day Fairbanks was found and saw she was bloody. He said he did not believe Fairbanks died in her sleep.

Jerzy Shedlock

Jerzy Shedlock is a former reporter for Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2017.

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