Going West: True Crime

Episode 545: Homicide at Midtown Marriott

Release Date: October 14, 2025
Hosts: Daphne Woolsoncroft & Heath Merryman (aka “T”)
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Episode Overview

The hosts revisit the chilling case of Brian Steven Smith, whose brutal crimes in Anchorage, Alaska, were uncovered in 2019 when a stolen phone led to the discovery of damning photographic and video evidence on an SD card. This episode provides a thorough update since their initial 2021 coverage, detailing new trial developments, additional victims, and the disturbing personality of Smith. Special emphasis is placed on the stories of Kathleen Jo Henry and Veronica Abachuk, Indigenous women who lost their lives to Smith, as well as the failures and heartbreak surrounding the investigation and Smith’s network.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Revisiting the Case: Timeline and Background

• [02:28] Daphne explains that this episode is an extensively updated version of their 2021 coverage, "because a ton more has come out. Like, a trial happened during that time... and there appears to be another victim that we're going to dive into today."
• [02:55] T sets the tone: “Not only do we have one of the worst pieces of shits that we’ve talked about, but also one of the dumbest…”

Kathleen Jo Henry: Life, Struggles, and Murder

• [04:48] Daphne shares Kathleen’s background as a member of the Yupiit tribe from Eek, Alaska—a small, mostly Native village with historical struggles, including lack of running water.
• Kathleen’s life was marked by trauma, addiction, and homelessness, yet she remained positive and creative, sharing poetry and aspirations on social media in the weeks before her death.
• [08:23] September 2019: Kathleen, age 30, goes missing in Anchorage. Her remains are found on October 2 near Seward Highway.

The Discovery: Stolen Phone & Damning Evidence

• [08:50] T details how the case unfolds when Valerie Kastler, another unhoused woman, comes into possession of Smith's phone after an encounter.
• Valerie finds nearly 50 photos and a 20-minute video of a murder and, fearing legal repercussions, discreetly transfers media to an SD card labeled "Homicide at Midtown Marriott," turning it over to police with a fabricated backstory.
• [11:39] Daphne praises Valerie for ultimately coming forward: “In situations like this, police don’t care how you got it... It’s way more important to solve a murder.”

Brian Steven Smith: Background and Personality

• [12:11] T introduces Smith: Born 1971 in Komani, South Africa; former army and hotel manager; tech and photography enthusiast.
• [14:51] T: “Yeah, the white South African Nazi. Geez.” — underscoring Smith’s racism and online hate speech.
• Smith moved to Alaska in 2014 after marrying an American woman, maintaining a double life marked by predatory and sadistic behavior.

The Midtown Marriott Murder: Method and Mindset

• [15:19] Daphne describes how Smith used his hotel connections to secure Room 323 at TownPlace Suites, documented himself torturing and murdering Kathleen on camera, and smuggled her body out on a luggage cart.
• [16:47] Daphne recounts Smith’s chilling verbal abuse: “I told you, you ain’t gonna leave here alive.”
• [17:13] T shares further quotes from the footage, including Smith saying: "In my movies, everybody always dies. What are my followers going to think of me? People need to know they're being serial killed." [17:53]
• The hosts dissect the narcissism and fantasy Smith had of sharing his crimes online, drawing comparisons to cases like Luka Magnotta.

Arrest and Interrogation

• [19:55] T explains Smith’s arrest at Anchorage airport after returning from D.C.: “He barely put up a fight, telling them... 'I do not remember this. I don’t remember the face. I don’t remember. But that’s my truck. That's my voice.'" [20:57]
• Evidence, including photos of the murder and his vehicle’s license plate, left no room for denial.
• Smith admits guilt, drawing a map to another set of remains, connecting him to a previous victim, Veronica Abachuk.

Veronica Abachuk: The First Known Victim

• [21:46] Daphne shares Veronica’s story: Indigenous woman from Nome, Alaska, missing since July 2018, reported missing by her family after an uncharacteristically long absence.
• Only her skull was found, with a bullet hole, in April 2019; identity was confirmed thanks to Smith's confession.
• Smith claims to have shot Veronica at his home in a fit of frustration—a story met with skepticism by both hosts.
• [26:09] T: “He’s a liar in general. You can’t trust the guy.”

Missed Warnings: Alicia Youngblood and Law Enforcement

• [35:44] T reveals that Smith’s girlfriend, Alicia Youngblood, tried to alert police about his confessions and videos over a year before the murders were linked to him.
• [37:40] T: Alicia documented Smith’s boasts that, “sex workers were disposable, meant to be consumed and discarded.”
• [38:29] Notable quote from Smith to Alicia, describing his own acts: “I acted a little bit psycho because I enjoyed it so much. It was a huge relief after being good for so many years. I’m still worried you’ll think I messed up.”
• Despite Alicia’s descriptions of murder videos and frequent visits to police, she struggled to provide the concrete evidence needed—her warnings tragically went unmet. Alicia later died by suicide, her mental health damaged by the trauma.

Smith’s Social Circle: Enablers and the Unwitting

• [44:35] T discusses Smith’s friend, Ian Calhoun, who saw a body in Smith’s truck but claimed to believe it was a sex doll.
• [45:41] Quoting Ian from his bumbling police interview: “You know, I take things lightly, you know? And he says, a sex doll. It's like, oh, whatever... That just gave me the creeps, you know?”
• Ian was never charged, but the hosts remain skeptical of his claims of ignorance.

The Trial: Evidence, Claims, and Conviction

• [48:08] Daphne covers efforts by Smith’s attorney to block the SD card footage for being “stolen,” which failed; the evidence was admitted.
• Smith pleaded not guilty to all 14 counts, but was convicted and sentenced to 226 years [50:33].
• [50:36] T celebrates: “Fuck, yeah. Love that. Never getting out.”
• The prosecutor labeled Smith as one of the few “truly evil humans in this world.”
• Victim impact statement from Veronica Abachuk’s daughter: “It’s a relief knowing that the defendant will rot... To me, he will always be an unintelligent, sick human being who couldn’t comprehend the meaning of life. Forget the defendant’s name and remember Veronica Abachuk and Kathleen Jo Henry.” [51:27]
• Jurors described trauma from viewing the evidence. [51:59]

Aftermath: Smith’s Contortions and Additional Victims

• Smith shifted blame, denied rape or murder, and said: “Girls generally like me.” [52:43]
• He downplayed his own confessions and stories as sexual fantasy and foreplay with Alicia, later claiming all his murder boasts were fabrications.
• Potential additional victim: Cassandra Boskovsky, another native woman, missing since August 2019. Deleted photos of her were recovered from Smith’s device; her family is convinced the photos show her body after death, though police cannot confirm with certainty without remains. [57:06–60:44]
• Smith continues to deny involvement in additional murders, despite abundant evidence, and blames "nasty rumors" and law enforcement conspiracies.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[Valerie] went through it and she was horrified at what she found. Nearly 50 pictures and videos, as well as a 20 minute video documenting the murder of Kathleen Jo Henry.” — T [10:19]

• “In my movies, everybody always dies. What are my followers going to think of me? People need to know that they are being serial killed.” — Brian Steven Smith, quoted by T [17:53]

• “He can’t say, I didn’t do it. He can only say, huh? You know, it just doesn’t ring.” — Daphne [20:57], on Smith’s feeble interrogation defense

• “I just turned my boyfriend in for murder?” — Alicia Youngblood, quoted by T [37:40]

• “He’s just a horrible person.” — T [37:40], summing up Smith

• “She explained, ‘He started to strangle her. Well, she freaked out. She was really scared and she was kicking and screaming and fighting... He punched her in the face several times and kicked her, very violent with her.’” — Alicia Youngblood, as retold by Daphne [38:46]

• “Fuck, yeah. Love that. Never getting out.” — T [50:33], after Smith’s sentencing

• “To me, he will always be an unintelligent, sick human being who couldn’t comprehend the meaning of life. Forget the defendant’s name and remember Veronica Abachuk and Kathleen Jo Henry.” — Christy Grimaldi, Veronica’s daughter [51:27]

• “I always see the woman’s side of the argument. Girls generally like me.” — Brian Steven Smith, quoted by T and scoffed at by Daphne [52:43]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:28 – Show overview and update since initial coverage
• 04:48 – Kathleen Jo Henry’s background
• 08:50 – Discovery of evidence on stolen phone and SD card
• 12:11 – Smith’s biography, personality, and move to Alaska
• 15:19 – The Midtown Marriott murder: Smith’s methods and mindset
• 17:53 – Smith’s disturbing on-video commentary and quotes
• 19:55 – Smith’s arrest and interrogation at the airport
• 21:46 – Veronica Abachuk’s case and Smith’s confession
• 35:44 – Alicia Youngblood’s warnings to police; failures in investigation
• 44:35 – Smith’s friend Ian Calhoun and dubious denials
• 48:08 – The 2024 trial: attempts to block evidence, conviction, and sentencing
• 51:27 – Victim impact statements at sentencing
• 57:06 – Cassandra Boskovsky: Possible additional victim and unresolved questions
• 62:01 – Smith’s hotel connections and probable opportunity for more crimes

Additional Context & Analysis

• The hosts stress the vulnerability of Smith’s victims—Indigenous women experiencing homelessness and addiction—whom Smith targeted as “disposable.”
• They criticize both law enforcement’s slow response to early warnings and the chilling network of enablers, whether intentional or through neglect.
• Daphne and T continually return to the theme of justice, accountability, and the importance of recognizing and remembering the victims rather than sensationalizing the killer.
• Listeners are urged to report information on Cassandra Boskovsky or other potential victims to Anchorage Crimestoppers (907-561-7867).

Closing Thoughts

The episode is a sobering, detailed look into the failures of both individual and institutional accountability that left vulnerable women at risk, ultimately brought into the light only by chance and a brave informant. Daphne and T call for attention to missing and murdered Indigenous women, reinforce the importance of victim-centered justice, and promise to follow up on further developments in this far-reaching, tragic case.