Witnesses describe erratic behavior of suspect charged in Anchorage homicide

Witnesses to the early morning Wednesday shooting in Spenard described a suspect who appeared paranoid and seemed to be on drugs before allegedly killing the victim, according to charging documents.

Around 4:15 a.m. Wednesday, a woman called 911 saying one of her friends had been shot. When police arrived at an apartment on West 29th Place they found the victim dead on the floor.

The victim was identified by police Friday morning as Jerry Amos, 46.

Anthony Arona Aumua, 34, later admitted killing Amos, the Anchorage Police Department said.

Witnesses "revealed that people were engaged in drug use including marijuana and possibly methamphetamine" before the shooting began, police wrote in the charging documents.

[Suspect arrested after man shot and killed in Anchorage apartment]

Witnesses referred to Aumua as both "Nephew" and "Ant," according to the charges.

One witness described "Nephew" as "sweating profusely, acting out of control, and violently throwing up," and that she had seen him with a handgun earlier in the evening. Another witness told police a man whose name she didn't know had pulled out a handgun and accused another female of  "putting Visine in his drink cup."

When police arrived on scene, a witness identified as M.B. had a 9mm gun in her possession, charging documents say. She told police that "Ant" was "high on Molly's and acting paranoid."

M.B. and "Ant" had gone to the Carrs grocery store, she told police. When they returned to the apartment, Aumua started talking to the victim, according to the charging documents. M.B. told police she heard gunshots and turned to see the victim shot and Aumua holding her gun. She told police he gave her back the gun when she asked.

Another witness, who would later identify Aumua in a lineup, said the suspect seemed "high on meth." The witness said he had been walking toward the back of the apartment when he heard a gunshot. He turned to see the victim down on his knees in the living room floor with his hand up, according to the charging documents. The suspect approached the victim, the witness told police, and fired a round into his chest.

The witness tried to help Amos, according to the charging documents, and afraid that Aumua would start shooting others, the witness pleaded with Aumua "and told him he was good, that everything would be ok."

Aumua left the apartment. Responding to a tip, police found him in an Eagle River church later that day.

Two 9mm shell casings were found next to Amos' body.

On Wednesday, neighbors described the shooting as the culmination of months of what appeared to be drug activity connected to the second-floor apartment.

Aumua was arraigned at the Anchorage Correctional Complex on Thursday afternoon. He faces charges of first- and second-degree murder.