Alaska State Trooper Glenn Flothe is the through-thread between “What Happened in Craig” and “Butcher, Baker.” Flothe played an early role in the Craig murders, helping chase down possible perpetrators. From there, Flothe moved to the case of the missing dancers, which ultimately led to the arrest and sentencing of serial murderer Robert Hansen.
In the Investor case, one investigative thread stands out: a report from a man in Indiana who seemed to have the inside scoop on what happened in Craig. It was tantalizing and follow-through was obligatory. It took troopers on a wild goose chase to Goshen, Indiana.
Glenn Flothe Assists – Mass Murder in Craig
On Tuesday, September 7, 1982, a boat fire was reported in the remote village of Craig, Alaska, 60 miles due west of Ketchikan. What looked like a fairly routine arson quickly turned gruesome. Troopers initially found four bodies. Four others, all crewmen on the purse seiner Investor, were missing. As 1982 turned to 1983, more victims were identified, but three remained unaccounted for: crewmen Chris Heyman and Dean Moon, and the skipper’s young son Johnny.
Goshen, Indiana: New Lead or Dead End?
Goshen, Indiana is 3,695 miles from Anchorage by road. That’s a two and a half day drive, if conditions are perfect. You can, of course, take a plane. If the flights magically line up, that’s a nine hour flight, first to Seattle and then on to Chicago. More like 13 hours if one misses the magic. It’s another 2 hours to Goshen from Chicago, a distance of some 114 miles. By the time you arrive there from Anchorage, you’re tired and hungry.
Impossible Drive: Nome, Alaska to Goshen, Indiana
With the physical search of the Goshen premises at a dead end, there was only one thing left for the troopers to learn after their 3,000 mile trek. At least they hadn’t driven all the way to Indiana from Anchorage. Still…
Order “What Happened In Craig,” HERE and HERE. True crime from Epicenter Press about Alaska’s Worst Unsolved Mass Murder.