AK AK - Denise Lekanoff, 22, & Michelle Rothe, 32, Anchorage, June & Sept 2003

jj_vm

New Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
I came across an interesting case where two torsos were found washed ashore in Anchorage back in 2003. The two torsos were eventually identified as Michelle Rothe and Desiree Lekanoff who were both sex trade workers. Investigators are linking this to a possible serial killer.

I've always been interested in cases where women in the sex trade are murdered because it speaks to the dangers of working in the industry and it's also very saddening at the same time to realize how they ended up on the streets. You don't hear too much about the Alaskan word of drugs and prostitution. I hope there is justice for both Michelle and Desiree one day.

Here are a few articles:

Alaska Dispatch - Alaskan Underworld

KTVA - Cold Case: The Torso Murders
 
:wagon:

Welcome jj vm!!

I sure don't hear much about Alaska crime/drug use/prostitution. I do remember the serial killer Robert Hansen though and not all of his victims were prostitutes.

Robert Hansen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I wonder if the torsos were separated from the head and limbs of these woman by natural causes, such as waves or predators or if the ME could tell if the head and limbs were removed by a person.

I read the comments on the (I think) second article. I wonder if LE should read them. Sounded like the commenters might be local Might be a tip. I would imagine a lot of people involved in the sex trade are not going to talk.
 
title has desiree name as denise so may be hard to search, she had much more than sex trade going on in her life but they only seem to be looking at that, both bodies they say had similar cut marks but in AK common method of disposal is in large crab traps in water, could they have been the cut marks?, could there be more in traps in the inlet? desiree had distinct tattoos on lower arms, long straight hair which could have tangled on something, she tried to work regular jobs but they seemed to not have traced that, worked for us around 2000 and a woman named michelle
 

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
201
Guests online
1,617
Total visitors
1,818

Forum statistics

Threads
589,966
Messages
17,928,431
Members
228,022
Latest member
Jemabogado
Back
Top