This sounds like the teaser from a thriller or murder mystery. Unfortunately, it is all too real. Last Thursday, shortly after 7 AM, coworkers found the bodies of US Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Jim Hopkins and retired Boatswain Mate Chief Rich Belisle, working as a civilian contractor, at their stations at Coast Guard Communications Station Kodiak on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Both men had been shot dead. The station is a high security area, responsible for radio communications across the North Pacific and Bering Sea.
As the killings took place on federal property, the FBI has jurisdiction and is being assisted by military police, the Coast Guard Investigative Service and the Alaska State Troopers. Beyond ruling the deaths as homicides, the FBI has said very little about the case thus far.
Day before yesterday, there was a memorial service for for the victims. According to press reports, over 900 people attended, an impressive turnout for an island with 6,000 civilians and 7,000 military personnel.
FBI quiet on details of killings on Kodiak’s Coast Guard base
Thanks to Irwin Bryan for passing the story along.
Being stationed at ncs kodiak in the late 60’s I find it hard to believe this could be unsolved for so long. I don’t know how secure the area was where these men were killed as I don’t know how the layout for the coast guard is. But if it was on base whoever had to go thru the gate or hit the hills. As I worked on the hill we had a marine guard stationed outside our building and you could not just enter any work area without entering a code to unlock the doors to relay or control upstairs. And that was after you passed the Marine guard station right at the front door. This is just very baffling to me. I guess security must have changed when the Navy left and coast guard took over.
Respect for the deceased
Lee Fritts
Purley tx
This could never have happened when I was there of course I was in the Marine Corps back there in 1943 and a bit of my heart still lives there. I remember well walking the Bell Flats patrol when it was 30 below zero. I was a 20 & 40 mm gun crew man having gone through navy gun school San Diego.. I’m one of the few Sons of the Williwaw still living. I served for a short time aboard the Gun Boat the USS Charlestown Pg 51 I havwe a picture of in in Old Womans Bay. I remember searching Mont.Baromenter for a young woman I believe she was a red cross worker that we found dead and I never heard of what the curcumstances were. What she was doing that far from the naval station I have always wondered? Jim Bradley Semper Fi.