Police seek 'person of interest' in fatal shooting at Eagle River Carrs

Anchorage police are investigating the murder of a man who was shot to death in a parking lot of an Eagle River supermarket early Friday morning.

Spencer Christian Ballenger, 26, was pronounced dead by emergency responders in the Carrs parking lot on Business Boulevard shortly before 2 a.m. He had been shot in the chest, the Anchorage Police Department said.

Although few details were immediately available, Anchorage police said they've identified a "person of interest" in the death of Ballenger: 26-year-old Aaron Nathaniel Trejo. Trejo wasn't in custody by Friday evening.

"It does not appear this incident has anything to do with Carrs other than the fact that it occurred in the parking lot," police spokeswoman Jennifer Castro said. Castro said police were gathering surveillance video from nearby businesses.

Trejo also has an unrelated arrest warrant for failing to appear on a third-degree assault charge, which was filed in early September. According to court records, a judge issued a $500 bail, which Trejo posted Sept. 8. About a month later, Trejo failed to appear for a change of plea hearing and an arrest warrant was issued.

This is the second murder of the year for Eagle River, a typically quiet suburban community on the outskirts of the municipality of Anchorage.

In the spring, James Andrew Baker, 32, was charged with murder after he opened fire on the occupants of his car and killed 56-year-old June Mary McCarr of Bethel. He faces 12 charges for first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, third-degree assault and third-degree weapons misconduct.

Friday morning's homicide is the 20th this year in the municipality of Anchorage.

The last Anchorage murder charges were filed in late August, said District Attorney Clint Campion. Three men -- Christopher Winters, Quinton Henderson and Nathaniel Terrell -- were initially charged in the alleged debt-related slaying of 19-year-old Byzantium Hill.

The state dropped the murder charge against Winters, Campion said. Further investigation found he was unlikely to have been involved in the homicide, Campion said. Winters still faces assault charges.

A week ago, police accused Christian Beier, 21, of shooting two acquaintances in the head, resulting in a day-long manhunt. He was charged with attempted murder. Campion said he learned Thursday that both victims were recovering.

Tegan Hanlon contributed reporting to this story.