Do you know who murdered John Kavairlook Jr? On May 17, 2015, John D. Kavairlook Jr., a 23-year-old Alaska Native man from Koyuk, was fatally shot outside the Rock N Rodeo bar on the Old Steese Highway in Fairbanks, Alaska. That evening marked the first night out for John and his wife, Shalene, following the birth of their daughter, Kinley Rae, less than a month earlier. An altercation began inside the bar when John attempted to defend his wife from an unwelcome advance by one of four men.
The confrontation escalated, leading to the ejection of both parties from the establishment. In the parking lot, one of the men retrieved a 9mm Glock pistol from a silver SUV and shot John multiple times, resulting in his death at the scene.
In the months following the incident, law enforcement agencies made several arrests connected to the case. In October 2015, Joel Roland Joseph, a 26-year-old man from Anchorage, was apprehended in Selma, Texas, and charged with first and second-degree murder. Although Joseph was not identified as the shooter, authorities charged him under the theory that he aided or abetted the homicide. His attorney contested these charges, asserting that Joseph neither encouraged nor facilitated the shooting. Additionally, Joseph's older brother, David Joseph, was arrested in Anchorage on charges of hindering prosecution. It was David's 9mm handgun that was used in the shooting, which he reported as stolen following a conversation with his brother shortly after the incident.
Another suspect, Demarius William Hinson, was arrested in Orlando, Florida, in October 2015 on charges of hindering prosecution. Hinson had fled the country after the shooting and returned to the United States a month prior to his arrest. Both Hinson and Joel Joseph remained in custody at the Fairbanks Correctional Center, awaiting trial.
In June 2016, authorities arrested 23-year-old Patrick Dale Burton in Cleveland, Ohio. Burton was identified as the alleged shooter and was charged with first-degree murder. According to charging documents, after the initial altercation inside the bar, Burton and his companions continued the confrontation outside, which escalated to throwing rocks before Burton retrieved the firearm and shot John multiple times. Fairbanks Police detectives traveled to Ohio to execute the arrest warrant, with assistance from the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office.
Despite these arrests, two individuals believed to be involved in the incident remained unaccounted for. Witnesses and video surveillance described the suspects as African-American men in their 20s or 30s who had traveled from Anchorage to Fairbanks shortly before the shooting. Law enforcement continued to seek information from the public to identify and apprehend these individuals.
John D. Kavairlook Jr. was remembered as a devoted husband and father, a skilled plumber, and an active member of his community. He graduated from the Galena Interior Learning Academy in 2010 and was a fourth-year apprentice in the Plumber and Pipefitters Apprentice Program at the time of his death. His untimely passing left a profound impact on his family, friends, and the broader Alaskan community.
