Utqiaġvik man found guilty on all counts in 2014 murder of assistant district attorney

An Utqiaġvik man was found guilty Thursday of murdering an assistant district attorney in 2014 in Alaska's northernmost town.

Ronald J. Fischer, 50, was found guilty of three counts related to the fatal shooting of Brian Sullivan.

Fischer was also found guilty of three counts related to a prior assault of Mabel Kaleak, who had recently starting dating Sullivan, and one count of violating release, when Fischer showed up at Kaleak's home in another incident.

Sullivan, who was 48 at the time of his death, was killed in December 2014. He had moved to Utqiaġvik, then known as Barrow, in 2012. He was one of two assistant district attorneys serving the city at the time. An attorney who said he knew Sullivan well called him intelligent, thoughtful and dedicated to the town.

At Fischer's initial court appearance, his sister told Alaska Dispatch News that Fischer was a loving father of four and a well-liked member of the community.

Court records detailed a string of domestic violence-related charges against Fischer in the months before the shooting. Fischer also had a court order not to have contact with Kaleak, who had recently started dating Sullivan. Sullivan was shot in Kaleak's home, within 10 feet of where he sat on a couch, prosecutors said during the initial hearing.

Kaleak was in the bedroom when she heard gunshots, the initial complaint said. When Fischer found her hiding in a closet, she lunged at him and held on to him to keep the gun compressed between them so he couldn't shoot at her. When they got outside the house, she ran to Sullivan's still-running car and drove to the police station.

[Utqiaġvik murder quietly rattles community]

On Thursday, the jury found Fischer guilty on all counts: murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, assault in the third degree, two charges of assault in the fourth degree, resisting arrest, and violating conditions of release.

Fischer was in custody at the Utqiaġvik Police Department on Friday, online records show. His sentencing is scheduled for April 6, 2018.