Crime & Courts

Fairbanks police: Man charged with second-degree murder in girlfriend’s death

Fairbanks police said Tuesday that a local man there has been charged with second-degree murder after an autopsy of his girlfriend revealed she'd died from being choked.

The Fairbanks Police and Fire departments responded to an A Street apartment at 3:54 a.m. Saturday in regards to someone "not breathing," FPD spokeswoman Yumi McCullough said in a statement.

Robyn L. Gray, 28, was found dead at the home when responders arrived, and her death appeared to be suspicious, McCullough said.

Gray lived with her boyfriend, 37-year-old Roberto Leal Jr., and their two children, 7 months and 2 years old, police said. All were at the apartment when responders arrived.

On Tuesday morning, the State Medical Examiner Office finished its autopsy on Gray.

"The cause of death was determined to be asphyxia from strangulation/suffocation," police said. "The manner of her death was classified as a homicide."

Leal was arrested Tuesday afternoon and charged with murder in Gray's death, McCullough said. He was taken to Fairbanks Correctional Center.

The Office of Children's Services were told about the homicide investigation, and the children were placed with family members, police said.

Jerzy Shedlock

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

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