Alaska State Troopers said they are investigating the deaths of two people whose remains were found in a trailer Sunday along the Denali Highway as a double homicide.
The victims were identified Thursday as Richard A. Casler, 61, and Lynn M. Butler, 42, both of Wasilla.
"The autopsies showed that both died as a result of gunshot wounds and the case is being investigated as a double homicide," troopers said in an online dispatch.
The families have been notified, troopers said.
Troopers received a report July 3 that a man and a woman were missing from their campsite near Mile 79 of the Denali Highway, not far from the Susitna River bridge. Evidence suggesting gunfire associated with their vehicle and camper trailer was reported at the time.
At about 4 p.m. Sunday, troopers heard noises coming from what they described as a "dilapidated trailer" in the area. Troopers said they surrounded the trailer and attempted to make contact with anyone inside but were unable to.
Officers entered the trailer and found Casler and Butler dead, troopers said.
The trailer the two were camping in was not the same trailer where their bodies were discovered, Alaska State Trooper spokesperson Beth Ipsen said.
According to Ipsen, investigators were not able to find the cause of the noise coming from the trailer where the bodies were found.
The Alaska Bureau of Investigation, a trooper division that handles major investigations, is continuing to look into the deaths. Anyone recreating in the area of the Denali Highway during the July 4 weekend or with information about the incident is asked to call troopers at 907-451-5100.
Ipsen said troopers are actively searching for suspects. She declined to comment on whether any suspects had been identified, but said they're following leads.