In the remote Alaskan town of Bethel, a tragic sequence of events unfolded in the pre-dawn hours of November 1, 2025, culminating in the death of 57-year-old Gene Chaney Jr. The quiet of the early morning was first broken by a call from Chaney Jr. himself to the Bethel Police Department, reporting a domestic disturbance at his residence. This initial call for help would tragically be the prelude to his untimely death.
Only a short time after his call to the police, a second, more frantic call was made from the same home. This time, it was Gene Chaney Jr.'s partner on the line, reporting that he had been shot and was unresponsive. When emergency services arrived, they found Chaney Jr. with severe wounds from what appeared to be a shotgun blast. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. His death was quickly determined to be a homicide, sending ripples of shock and grief through the tight-knit community.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the suspect had fled the home, leading to a tense search. However, the search came to a peaceful end several hours later when a minor, who is a family member of the victim, surrendered to the police in the parking lot of the local hospital. The minor, whose name has not been released to the public, was taken into custody without incident.
The investigation into the death of Gene Chaney Jr. has led to the minor being charged as an adult with manslaughter. They are currently being held at the Bethel Youth Facility, awaiting a preliminary hearing which has been set for November 10. The community is left to mourn the loss of a resident while coming to terms with the violent nature of his death and the young age of the individual accused of the crime.
