Crime & Justice

Jury convicts Tanana man of evidence tampering after killing of troopers

NENANA — A jury has convicted a 59-year-old Tanana man on evidence tampering charges after two Alaska State Troopers were shot to death.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports Arvin Kangas began to cry after the verdict was read Thursday. The jury was to resume deliberations about whether aggravating circumstances could increase the sentence.

Prosecutors claimed Kangas moved handguns belonging to the two troopers after his son allegedly shot and killed them last year.

The jury heard about one hour of combined audio and video footage taken before, during and after the shooting.

The footage comes from audio recorders worn by the officers and nearly 30 minutes of video taken by a neighbor.

Arvin Kangas' son, Nathanial Kangas, faces trial in November for the deaths of Sgt. Scott Johnson and trooper Gabe Rich.

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