Henry Ongtowasruk, a 30-year-old Native American man, was found dead in his small room at the Budget Motel in Anchorage on November 29, 1999. Police determined he had been strangled. Detectives preserved physical evidence from the scene and the case remained unsolved for years with no immediate arrests.

In early 2014 investigators said convicted killer Joshua Wade told them he had killed Ongtowasruk and gave information about the crime while also claiming two other 1990s murders. Authorities said they would re-examine the preserved evidence with newer forensic tools to assess Wade’s statements; the confession did not result in new charges specific to Ongtowasruk’s death, and the homicide file remained open. Family members expressed anger that a confession did not lead to a trial in the 1999 killing.

Anyone who might have seen who Henry was with before his death is asked to come forward with information.