S1: E30 – End of the Road: The Hunt for Michael Silka

Summary

American Homicide: S1:E30 – End of the Road: The Hunt for Michael Silka

Introduction

In the thirtieth episode of American Homicide, hosted by Sloan Glass, listeners are taken deep into the chilling case of Michael Silka, one of Alaska's most notorious serial killers. This episode meticulously unravels Silka's journey from a troubled youth in Chicago to a violent fugitive in the remote wilderness of Alaska, culminating in a dramatic and deadly confrontation with law enforcement.

Michael Silka's Background

Michael Silka's story begins in the suburbs of Chicago, where he was known as a solitary and troubled individual. According to Chicago's Daily Herald, a former high school classmate described him as "a troubled kid who was obsessed with guns," often dressing like a hunter even during school years. This obsession with firearms followed him into adulthood, leading to multiple misdemeanor arrests for burglary, shoplifting, resisting arrest, and unlawful use of weapons.

After a weapons-related incident, Silka was discharged from the army, where he had served as a helicopter mechanic at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. His time in the military highlighted his isolationist tendencies, as fellow soldiers recalled him frequently venturing alone into the wilderness with minimal gear, enhancing his mountain man persona.

The Disappearance of Seven People in Manly Hot Springs

On a spring day in 1984, a series of mysterious disappearances shook the small mining town of Manly Hot Springs, located about 150 miles northwest of Fairbanks. Seven individuals vanished near the town's boat landing, a key location where residents traditionally gathered each spring to watch the ice break up on the Tanana River.

A woman reported that her husband and his friend went down to the landing and never returned. Shortly after, another report emerged of a man, his pregnant wife, and their two-year-old son who similarly disappeared. For a town of approximately 70 residents, these disappearances represented about 10% of the population, sparking immediate concern and prompting a response from Alaska State Troopers.

The Hunt for Michael Silka

Sergeant Jim McCann, an experienced Alaska State Trooper stationed in Fairbanks, was dispatched to investigate the disappearances. Upon arrival at the boat landing, McCann discovered disturbing evidence: a .44 Magnum cartridge case, blood splatters on a nearby tree and boat, and a Dodge sedan with an Illinois license plate—the vehicle belonging to Michael Silka.

"At this point, clearly we can assume that Michael Silke is not just a murderer, but he's a mass murderer," McCann stated at [28:57], summarizing the gravity of the situation.

Further investigation revealed that Silka was also suspected of murdering his neighbor, Roger Culp, who had been reported missing three weeks earlier. Initial reports had incorrectly suggested that Culp might have killed Silka, but revisiting the evidence shifted suspicion squarely onto Silka.

The Final Confrontation

As the search intensified, Sergeant McCann and Lieutenant John Myers led a specialized emergency reaction team to locate Silka. On May 18, 1984, the troopers received a crucial lead: Silka was sighted in a silver Grumman canoe upriver from the boat landing.

During the high-stakes pursuit, the troopers closed in on Silka, who was heavily armed and appeared determined to evade capture at all costs. Tensions escalated when Silka engaged in a shootout with the approaching troopers. At [31:03], Lieutenant Myers recounted the chaos:

"Within seconds, bullets were flying in each direction."

Tragically, Trooper Troy Duncan was killed in the exchange, an event that left the team in shock. Despite the heavy gunfire, Silka managed to release three rapid shots before being fatally wounded by the troopers.

Aftermath and Impact

The confrontation left Sergeant McCann and Lieutenant Myers grappling with the loss of a fellow trooper and the death of Silka. Silka's motives remained perplexing, with both troopers expressing bewilderment over his ruthless actions:

"What makes you decide to kill everybody you see? How do you get that way? I don't have a clue really. I don't know," admitted Lieutenant Myers at [35:10].

The investigation concluded that Silka had committed multiple murders without any discernible motive, casting a long shadow over the small community of Manly Hot Springs. The town, once peaceful, was forever scarred by the tragedy, with lingering memories that "never die" as stated by Sergeant McCann.

Community Response and Legacy

In the aftermath, the grieving residents of Manly Hot Springs sought closure by symbolically destroying Silka's vehicle, attempting to erase the physical reminders of the horror he brought to their lives. However, the psychological impact remained profound, altering the town's sense of safety and community forever.

Conclusion

End of the Road: The Hunt for Michael Silka serves as a haunting exploration of a man whose violent spree disrupted an entire community. With no clear motive and a trail of unanswered questions, Silka remains an enigmatic figure in Alaska's criminal history. Sloan Glass masterfully guides listeners through the intricate details of the case, honoring the memory of those lost and the bravery of the troopers who confronted a relentless killer.

Notable Quotes:

• Sergeant Jim McCann [16:24]: "I've got a lot of experience living here at the end of the road, you know, that attracts some of the finest people and unfortunately some of the worst."
• Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman [21:07]: "It was a horrible situation, and the fact that there were a little kid and a woman involved in it made it even worse."
• Lieutenant John Myers [30:30]: "We have not only a murderer, but somebody who has made his decisions. He is committed to going out the hard way. He's snapped, he's gone beyond and there's no coming back from where he is now. No coming back."
• Sergeant Jim McCann [35:20]: "He was committed to dying. He was committed to killing as many troopers as he could before he went out."

Final Thoughts

This episode of American Homicide not only delves into the gruesome details of Michael Silka's crimes but also highlights the emotional toll such cases take on law enforcement officers and the communities they serve. Through firsthand accounts and meticulous research, Sloan Glass ensures that the story of Michael Silka is both compelling and respectfully told.

For those intrigued by true crime stories intertwined with the unforgiving landscapes of America, this episode offers a gripping narrative that underscores the complexities and tragedies inherent in murder investigations.

Transcript

[California Psychics Host]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast at California Psychics. We know some people can't read the career warning signs like your boss still not knowing your name.

[Sloan Glass]

You, Tina, Lisa, Sheila, whatever. Get that report to me by lunch, okay? It's Carrie, ma' am. Just get it done. Terry.

[California Psychics Host]

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[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Anybody that has gotten to the point where he can kill all these people, including a small child, there's very little chance he'll give himself up. He's snapped. He's gone beyond and there's no coming back from where he is now. No coming back.

[Sloan Glass]

The hunt for one of Alaska's worst serial killers turned a quiet town into the wild wild west.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

In a situation like this, it's clear to us that this is not going to end well if we see him and we're not going to walk out and say hey, how you doing this is going to be a gunfight.

[Sloan Glass]

Today we're just outside of Fairbanks, Alaska for the haunting case of End of the Road the Hunt for Michael Silke. I'm Sloan Glass and this is American Homicide. Just a note that this episode contains some graphic content. Please take care while listening. On a spring day in 1984, two Alaska State Troopers stopped their patrol car outside a cabin that belonged to Michael Silke.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

I don't remember much of Silke's cabin, but it was junky like most of the other ones over there.

[Sloan Glass]

Sergeant Jim McCann was an Alaska State Trooper.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Wasn't some cute little log cabin in the woods. It was just a thrown together wood shack with a bunch of garbage laying all around it.

[Sloan Glass]

Michael Soca's cabin sat in an area off the beaten path just outside of Fairbanks.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

There were these little cabins and people that had come to Alaska and didn't have much money were staying in those cabins.

[Sloan Glass]

The troopers were doing a well being check on Michael Silka. Earlier they had received a report that he had been shot and killed by his neighbor Roger Culp.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

That trooper went over and knocked on his cabin door. He didn't answer the door.

[Sloan Glass]

That's when the troopers walked around Michael Silka's yard. Although it was a warm late April day, there was still snow on the ground. Footprints in the snow led the troopers to to a 3 by 6 foot snow mound.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

There were indeed blood spatters on that, but there's a moose hide hanging there and so I don't know, it could be blood from the moose.

[Sloan Glass]

One trooper poked at the mound of snow and then grabbed a sample of the blood to send off for testing. Both troopers then walked back to Michael Silke's front door.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

They knocked again and they heard someone moving around a little bit inside the house. And eventually a voice said, who's out there? He said, alaska State Trooper.

[Sloan Glass]

It went quiet for a second before the voice from inside the cabin responded.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

And he said, how many of you are there?

[Sloan Glass]

Both troopers looked at each other puzzled. One of them yelled back, there's two of us. Can you open the door please? The cabin door slowly opened and a man with dark hair and a scraggly.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Beard peeked outside and strangely enough, it's Michael Silke.

[Sloan Glass]

Much to the surprise of the troopers, the man identified himself as 25 year old Michael Silke. The person they were told had been murdered by a neighborhood.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

We had no idea who Michael Silka was until all this happened.

[Sloan Glass]

So Silka, who the troopers believed was killed by his neighbor Roger Culp, was alive and Roger Culp was missing.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Roger Culp was a guy that disappeared a lot. He was a heavy drinker, and heavy drinkers around here just kind of wander around, and during warm weather, they lay down and sleep in the woods. They do all sorts of things.

[Sloan Glass]

The belief was Roger Culp would eventually turn up. He always did.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

It's not really all that suspicious for a guy like Roger Culp to be gone from his trailer for even a day or two. So there aren't a lot of alarms going on at this point.

[Sloan Glass]

Before leaving Michael Silka's cabin, the two troopers had some questions.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

They found blood scattered around Silka's cabin.

[Sloan Glass]

Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

And he said, yeah, that's blood on the ground there. I was skinning a moose. I was skinning out a moose. And that the blood was from that.

[Sloan Glass]

Michael Silka had butchered a moose and said he washed the hides for some of his hunter friends. Those hides are used to make jackets, gloves, and even rope.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

If you're in the bush, it would be a very common thing.

[Sloan Glass]

The two troopers thanked Michael Soca for his time and drove away. Michael Soca waited until they were completely out of sight. Once they were gone, he closed the door. In a cabin a couple doors down, a woman was watching. What she witnessed the previous day had left her paralyzed with fear.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

There was an exchange between Culp and Silka, and it was just very uncomfortable.

[Sloan Glass]

The previous day, that female neighbor of Michael Silka was outside chopping wood and talking with Roger Culp. The two noticed Michael Silka walk past three different times, carrying a pile of guns to his car. On his final pass, Silke stopped where his two neighbors were chopping wood, grabbed a long stick and angrily slammed it against the chopping block. He yelled, this is how you do it. And then walked back to his cabin. It was a strange and scary outburst.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

There was something about him that really bothered her.

[Sloan Glass]

It also upset Roger Culp, who followed Silka to his cabin. A short time later. The woman chopping wood said she heard gunshots coming from Silka's cabin, which is.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

Not an unusual thing to hear in Fairbanks, Alaska. Even in a suburb, you'll hear that sort of thing from time to time. So she didn't think too much of it, except that Culp, she never saw him again.

[Sloan Glass]

When Roger Culp never turned up, that's when she guessed those gunshots coming from Michael Silka's cabin was Silka shooting and killing Culp. But she didn't have a phone and couldn't call the police, so she locked her door and claimed to be so scared that she couldn't leave her cabin for days. I can imagine that she felt that she was stuck out in the woods with a psychopath.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

She eventually reported what she had seen.

[Sloan Glass]

It took her nine days to report what happened. And by the time she did, the troopers realized their first report was incorrect. It wasn't that Culp may have killed Silka. It was that Silka may have killed Culp.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

There was a lot of stuff that was going on, but they got it all messed up.

[Sloan Glass]

By the time the troopers returned to Michael Silka's cabin, he was gone.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

They never found Culp. They found blood scattered around Silka's cabin that was later identified as being human blood.

[Sloan Glass]

So that blood Silka said was from a moose was in fact human blood. By that point, troopers believed Michael Silka had had murdered Roger Culp and left town.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

Something really bad has happened and he obviously knew we were looking for him because he got out of Dodge.

[Sloan Glass]

When Alaska state troopers dug into Michael Silka, they uncovered a ton. Keep in mind it's 1984 and the world was less connected.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

Silka had had a warrant out for his arrest in Illinois and nobody knew about that. It wasn't in the national computer at that time.

[Sloan Glass]

In 1983, Michael Soca skipped a court hearing for a weapons violation back in Illinois. That led to a warrant being put out for the 25 year old drifter.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

And there was a caution that he was considered to be dangerous.

[Sloan Glass]

So let's talk about Michael Silka. Silka grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, but always dreamed of living outdoors.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

He was a the sort of guy that didn't hang with others. He didn't do well with other people.

[Sloan Glass]

That's Sergeant Jim McCann didn't have any.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Close friends that I recall. Everyone thought him a bit odd.

[Sloan Glass]

Chicago's Daily Herald newspaper reported that one former high school classmate called Silke a troubled kid who was obsessed with guns. One said he even went to school dressed like a hunter. Another said, you could just picture this guy growing up to do something bad.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Michael Silke, he fashioned himself to some sort of mountain man, you know, some sort of guy that could go out and live on his own.

[Sloan Glass]

After high school, Silke joined the army and was thrilled to be stationed at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

His job was a helicopter mechanic. Some of the other soldiers that worked with him, they described Michael Silke as the guy that would always go off on his own. They wouldn't see him for hours or maybe even days if he could get away with it, he just take a knife and a few things and then go out into the woods and try and survive. And didn't get along very well with his fellow soldiers. They thought him rather strange.

[Sloan Glass]

Silka became an expert shooter in the army, but a weapons incident led to his discharge. He then returned to Illinois and quickly got into trouble for carrying a rifle through town.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

You know, he's got a criminal record, but they're not really serious crimes, but they generally involve firearms.

[Sloan Glass]

By Silka's 25th birthday, he had been picked up for a series of arrests for burglary, shoplifting, resisting arrest, and unlawful use of a weapon.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Not that he used them against people, but that he always had a firearm of one sort or another in his possession or near him.

[Sloan Glass]

With court appearances pending at home, Silke left Chicago and drove north into Canada. That's where he was stopped by the police. They found his truck loaded with camping gear and firearms.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

They were interested in him enough that they took him to their local headquarters, interviewed him and photographed him and then let him go. No one ever communicated that to us.

[Sloan Glass]

Michael Silke then headed to Fairbanks, where miscommunication allowed him to slip out of the reach of the police and the consequences would destroy an entire town.

[California Psychics Host]

At California Psychics, we know some people can't read the career warning signs. Like your boss still not knowing your name.

[Sloan Glass]

You, Tina, Lisa, Sheila, whatever. Get that report to me by lunch, okay? It's Carrie, ma' am. Just get it done, Terry.

[California Psychics Host]

So talk to California Psychics and receive the career guidance you need. We only connect you with the very best, so guarantee if your reading isn't life changing, it's free. California psychics. Visit CaliforniaPsychics. Visit CaliforniaPsychics.com today for limited time offers.

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[Sloan Glass]

The oil boom brought the first wave of people to Fairbanks during the 1960s, but there's also a completely different group of people that are attracted to the area.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

This is the end of the road. Basically it's the farthest north everything.

[Sloan Glass]

Sergeant Jim McCann was an Alaska state trooper stationed in Fairbanks.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

I've got a lot of experience living here at the end of the road, you know, that attracts some of the finest people and unfortunately some of the worst. It's where some people come to take their last shot at life or to live their dreams or their fantasies.

[Sloan Glass]

Every spring, locals in Fairbanks spot the newest crop of what they call end of the Roaders.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

There's been a lot of bad people come to the end of the road here and commit their crimes.

[Sloan Glass]

One such end of the roader was Michael Silke. After high school, Silka joined the army and was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska, which fit with his personality. Sandwiched in between his army stint, the 25 year old racked up a handful of arrests in Illinois, Mainly misdemeanor charges involving weapons.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

I got into a situation where he didn't show up for court. There was a warrant issued for him.

[Sloan Glass]

Instead, Silke drove up to Fairbanks where he later was suspected in the disappearance of his neighbor Roger Cole. To make matters even harder for police, Silka then disappeared. And then on May 18, 1984, Sergeant McCann responded to a disturbing call.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Our clerical staff called me and said, Sergeant McCann, there's a something going on in Manly Hot Springs.

[Sloan Glass]

Manly Hot Springs is a small mining town some 150 miles northwest of Fairbanks.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

What they told me was that everyone that had gone down to the landing in Manly Hot Springs seems to have disappeared.

[Sloan Glass]

At the time, only about 70 people lived there. And each spring locals head to the boat landing on the Tanana river to watch the ice break up.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

People just go down there to look. Especially when you're living in a little place like Manly, there's not much else to look at. It's quite the sight to see really when the ice goes out. But everybody that went down to look at the river seems to have disappeared.

[Sloan Glass]

A woman reported that her husband and his friend went to the boat landing and never returned. A second person reported that a man, his pregnant wife and their two year old son also went to the landing and didn't return.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

There was a whole family, a husband, a wife and a two year old child.

[Sloan Glass]

And then came a report that a third and fourth man were also missing. So for a town of 70 people to have seven people go missing, that's 10% of the population.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

It was bizarre to think that that had happened. I took action at that point.

[Sloan Glass]

Sergeant McCann flew out there by helicopter and began searching for clues at the boat launch.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

I found one.44 Magnum cartridge case. And I saw a number of dark spots on the ground in the dirt that I knew could be blood.

[Sloan Glass]

A nearby tree and a boat parked at the launch were both splattered with blood. Along the riverbank. Troopers noticed drag marks and more blood.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Clearly bodies had been brought up to the edge of the river and pushed off into the river.

[Sloan Glass]

A handful of cars were parked at the boat launch, including a beat up Dodge sedan with an Illinois license plate that belonged to Michael Silka.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

And when I saw Michael Silka's license plate there. It was certainly alarming. We did some looking at Silka's car. We saw a lot of his provisions, some reloading equipment and that sort of thing. It concerned me enough that I thought, he's going to come back down that river to get his provisions.

[Sloan Glass]

Sergeant McCann and his team spent the night waiting and hoping Michael Silka and the seven missing people would return.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

I have no facts at that point to tell me that these people have been murdered, But I've been to these rodeos before. We know what happened now. It's really confirming that this guy named Michael Silken killed everyone that came down to that landing.

[Sloan Glass]

The following morning, more investigators joined the search. Here's Alaska state trooper Steve Heckman.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

It was a horrible situation, and the fact that there were a little kid and a woman involved in it made it even worse. In my mind, you have to say to yourself, who does something like this? You know, there's no motive that would make any sense whatsoever. However, to me, at least personally, I could never find a motive in something like that that I would care to even try to understand.

[Sloan Glass]

Trooper Heckman joined a team of divers that combed the dangerous Tanana river.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

I knew the current was going to be strong, which it was. I knew the visibility would probably be zero, which it was.

[Sloan Glass]

The glacier fed Tanana river was nearly a mile wide and so full of silt that it could easily drag you underwater.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

You can be the world's best swimmer, but unless you have a flotation device on or something, you're gonna go under and you're gonna go under fast.

[Sloan Glass]

If these seven people were disposed of in the river, he knew the odds of finding their bodies were slim to none.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

We were hopeful, but our expectations weren't great. Even one would have been a victory for us. But there again, we didn't find a thing.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

You hope that these people are going to show up someplace else. That they got on a boat and went downriver.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

But.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

I didn't think so.

[Sloan Glass]

The following morning, Sergeant Jim McCann received his first lead.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

I had received information that Silka had, or may have had a silver canoe, a silver Grumman canoe.

[Sloan Glass]

Those sleek canoes were popular in the 70s and 80s. And the easiest way for troopers to find that canoe was by air.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

I gave instructions to the pilot what we're looking for, that this guy Michael Silka may have murdered all these people, could be on the river in a silver Grumman canoe. So when I got under the helicopter, I sat in the back with my M16 machine gun.

[Sloan Glass]

Just in case, Sergeant McCann and two special emergency reaction Teams took to the sky in a pair of helicopters in search of Silca.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

As the leader of the Special Emergency Reaction Team, our SWAT team, I made it very clear to our members that this isn't Vietnam. We're not flying around in helicopters, seeing stuff and shooting. We're law enforcement. We'll only return fire if we're fired.

[Sloan Glass]

Upon from the sky. The two teams very quickly spotted a campsite.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

A couple of our Fish and Wildlife pilots reported seeing a tent. A man standing outside the tent and a silver Grumman canoe beached right near the camp.

[Sloan Glass]

The helicopter found a place to land, and three troopers made their way through the thick forest to the surrounding campsite. With their guns drawn. They shouted to whoever was inside the tent to show themselves. To their surprise, two men emerged.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

They're two bear hunters and they're not Michael Silke.

[Sloan Glass]

Before the troopers and two bear hunters could catch their collective breath, another call came in.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Almost simultaneously, another trooper spotted a silver Grumman canoe with a single individual going upriver.

[Sloan Glass]

With their description from this call, it had to be Silke.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

In a situation like this, it's clear to us that this is not going to end well. The chances of apprehending Michael Filka were slim to none. You know, anybody that has come to the end of the road and then gotten to the point where he can kill all these people, including a small child, there's very little chance he'll give himself up, that he'll allow us to apprehend him, to take him into custody. This is going to be a gunfight. And we hope that it only ends poorly for Silka, not for us.

[California Psychics Host]

At California Psychics, we know some people can't read the career warning signs like your boss. Still not knowing your name.

[Sloan Glass]

You, Tina, Lisa, Sheila, whatever. Get that report to me by lunch, okay? It's Carrie, ma' am. Just get it done, Terry.

[California Psychics Host]

So talk to California Psychics and receive the career guidance you need. We only connect you with the very best, so guarantee if your reading isn't life changing, it's free. California psychics call 1-800-PREDICT today and get 20 minutes for just $20.

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[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway this spring. Refresh your spring personal care Items and earn 4 times points on all your favorites when you shop in store or online. Earn 4 times points when you shop for items like pantene shampoo, Gillette Fusion 5 razors, secret body spray, always pads, Luvs diapers, Pepto Bismol, and Nervive Nerve Relief Cream. Then use your rewards for discounts on groceries or gas. Offer ends May 20. Restrictions apply. Promotions may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Sloan Glass]

On a spring day in 1984, Sgt. Jim McCann got a call that something was happening in the small town of Manly Hot Springs, Alaska. Seven people had disappeared near a boat landing in town. None of them returned. Parked at the boat landing was a car belonging to Michael Silka, who had already been on Sergeant Jim McCann's radar.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

So at this point, clearly we can assume that Michael Silke is not just a murderer, but he's a mass murderer.

[Sloan Glass]

They also suspected Silka killed his neighbor Roger Culp, who was last seen going into Silka's cabin three weeks earlier.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

We don't know that. We never found Roger Culp's body, but it's logical that he would have done that and probably took him right across the road and dumped him in the Tanana River.

[Sloan Glass]

With Roger Culp and seven others also presumed to be dead, two helicopters filled with specially trained teams of Alaska State Troopers went to apprehend Michael Silka.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

We have not only a murderer, but somebody who has made his decisions. He is committed to going out the hard way. He's snapped, he's gone beyond and there's no coming back from where he is now. No coming back.

[Sloan Glass]

Two sets of helicopters closed in on a person believed to be Michael Silka. He was spotted in an aluminum canoe about 25 miles away.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

I can't imagine he's going to throw his hands up and say, I give up.

[Sloan Glass]

Silka's boat encountered a downed tree across the river that prevented him from passing. So he docked his boat alongside that tree.

[Lieutenant John Myers]

We see somebody in a boat who turns out to be Michael Silka.

[Sloan Glass]

Lieutenant John Myers was on the helicopter with Sergeant McCann.

[Lieutenant John Myers]

We had heard the stories about how good he could shoot, so we know we're probably looking for a well armed, good shooting murderer who had no conscience.

[Sloan Glass]

With both helicopters hovering, Michael Silke ducked out of sight between three birch trees.

[Lieutenant John Myers]

The pilot just kind of swooped down where the people in helicopter could get a better look. And then a firefight broke out.

[Sloan Glass]

Within seconds, bullets were flying in each direction.

[Lieutenant John Myers]

We could see that Michael Silke was shooting. We knew that our people were shooting. In fact, we could see bullets splashing around him.

[Sloan Glass]

But there was a problem.

[Lieutenant John Myers]

Imagine yourself in any kind of a situation where you have the knowledge, the equipment, the training to do something really important and you can't do it. That's where I was.

[Sloan Glass]

This had to be chaotic and the chances of friendly fire were high.

[Lieutenant John Myers]

You know, I'm standing there with, with a fully automatic rifle in my hands and I mean, even if I wanted to and tried, I couldn't do it.

[Sloan Glass]

The two were left to helplessly watch what unfolded below them.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Silke was acting furtively looking up at them and acting very agitated, concerned he was doing his best to escape.

[Sloan Glass]

On the riverbank below, Silke was trying to conceal himself from the trooper's vision.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Then I heard what is perhaps one of the worst things I ever heard was our pilot going 1079 AST. That means a dead trooper.

[Sloan Glass]

A trooper in the other helicopter was hit by one of Michael Silke's bullets.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

My friend Troy Duncan was murdered. His head was gone and the helicopter itself was blood spattered and bone fragments. And it was a horrible scene. My partner and I were just shocked.

[Sloan Glass]

I mean totally shocked with one trooper dead. That helicopter then left the scene and raced to a local hospital. That left Sergeant McCann and Lieutenant Myers to find Michael Silka.

[Lieutenant John Myers]

We couldn't see Silka anymore. So in the meantime we're circling around and now we didn't know if Silka was dead, wounded or ran, but we knew he probably was hit. And then we locate him, he was in the water.

[Sloan Glass]

Michael Silka was down in a fierce gunfight that had lasted less than a minute. Troopers shot and killed Michael Silka just seconds after he killed one of their own. Trooper Troy Duncan.

[Lieutenant John Myers]

I mean Troy was, was a remarkable person. Everybody liked him, everybody trusted him, everybody was hurt by his death. But the fact is everybody did what they were supposed to do and, and we lost one. And a really good person, good man.

[Sloan Glass]

The 34 year old ex Marine had a wife and two children. His remains were flown to Texas where he was buried next to his mother. Here's Sergeant Jim McCann again.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

I can still see Troy Duncan's face, his smile. Just a big old ex Marine, you know, and a likable guy. Good trooper murdered. Ah, people don't understand what law enforcement officers go through, what they carry with them for the rest of their lives.

[Sloan Glass]

After a long investigation, troopers concluded what happened at the docks in May of 1984. And the details are really unbelievable. Michael Silka shot and killed a first victim at the boat launch. He then threw the victim's body into the river. From there he killed everyone else in sight. His motive baffled Lt. Myers.

[Lieutenant John Myers]

What makes you decide to kill everybody you see? How do you get that way? I don't have a clue really. I don't know.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

He was committed to dying. He was committed to killing as many troopers as he could before he went out. And he fired three shots rapidly, you know, one taking Trooper Troy Duncan right in the middle of his face. These things certainly stayed with me.

[Sloan Glass]

Troopers believe Michael Silka was able to fire off three shots before he was killed.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

The other two, when I examined the helicopter later, they were right next to the hydraulic lines that kept that helicopter in the air. And some would say that he was trying to take down the helicopter.

[Sloan Glass]

The troopers believe Michael Silka snapped. Over the next few weeks, planes flew back and forth over the river and in search of the victims.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

The Tanana river has a tendency to swallow up bodies. It's a dangerous river, and these people could be any place.

[Sloan Glass]

A month later, only four of the seven bodies were recovered, including one body that turned up 75 miles downstream. None of the other victims bodies were ever found, including Roger Culp. For those in Manly hot springs, it's.

[Sergeant Jim McCann]

Not the peaceful little place that it used to be. You know, before this, I mean, I could drive into Manly and I just. People wave at ya. It's not the same. These things have a way to resurface in your mind. That memory of these things never dies.

[Sloan Glass]

Further investigation led troopers to connect Silka to a murder in North Dakota, a pair of killings in Canada, and the murder of two others in Manly hot springs. With no known motive, Michael Silke left behind a million unanswered questions. With no one to give them answers, the grieving small town took out their frustration on a physical representation of Silka.

[Alaska State Trooper Steve Heckman]

The car probably should have been. Should have been impounded, but in one respect, maybe it was a good thing we left it there. They beat it with hammers, they set it on fire, and then they drove over it with a bulldozer and then they pushed it in the river. I mean, I think that was kind of their way to show some finality to the whole. That was something that they just felt they needed to do. Gave them some way to show their emotions.

[Sloan Glass]

Next time on American Homicide. Just days after a college student moves into her new apartment, she disappears. I'm Sloane Glass. Yes. We'll be in Anchorage, Alaska for our final two episodes this season of American Homicide. You can contact the American Homicide team by emailing [e-mail] that's American homicide podcast. American Homicide is hosted and written by me, Sloan Glass and is a production of Glass podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment group in partnership with iHeart Podcasts. The show is executive produced by Nancy Glass and Todd Ganz. The series is also written and produced by Todd Ganz with additional writing by Ben Fetterman and Andrea Gunning. Our associate producer is Kristen Melchuri. Our iheartie is Ally Perry and Jessica Krynczak. Audio editing, mixing and mastering by Nico Aruka. American Homicide's theme song was composed by Oliver Baines of noiser music library, provided by my music follow American Homicide on Apple podcasts and please rate and review American Homicide. Your five star review goes a long way towards helping others find this show. For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

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[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway this spring. Refresh your spring personal care Items and earn 4 times points on all your favorites when you shop in store or online. Earn 4 times points when you shop for items like pantene shampoo, Gillette Fusion 5 razors, secret body spray, always pads, loves diapers, Pepto Bismol and Nervive Nerve Relief Cream. Then use your rewards for discounts on groceries or gas. Offer ends May 20th 20th. Restrictions apply. Promotions may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

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