Michael Rodgers had a history of heart conditions. Lawana Barker knew that when she provided him with the methamphetamine that killed him in 2023. He was 62.
On July 10, Superior Court Judge Lance Joanis sentenced 61-year-old Barker for the death of Rodgers. She will serve eight years with four years suspended, followed by seven years of probation. Barker has been convicted of criminally negligent homicide, possession of a controlled substance, and theft. She stole $500 from Rodger’s wallet after finding him dead.
The case highlights the rising death toll fueled by the drug.
A bulletin published by the Department of Health’s epidemiology section showed that Alaska experienced a 25 percent annual increase in methamphetamine-involved overdose deaths between 2017 and 2023.
“During this period, METH was involved in roughly half of all unintentional and undetermined overdose deaths annually, suggesting METH use has been a consistent and persistent risk factor over time,” the bulletin states.
Data from the Department of Health shows that Anchorage had the highest methamphetamine-involved overdose rate, followed by the Interior public health region. Notably, most overdoses included at least one other substance, typically opioids, such as fentanyl.
Barker, who lives in Nikiski, met Rodgers just a few days before his death. She claimed that Rodgers asked her to procure the methamphetamine and teach him how to smoke.
According to Alaska State Troopers, the drugs were purchased at a house where they responded to a report in January of a different deceased man. The overdose victim in that case was a 71-year-old man named Jack Lyons Sr.
Barker has a track record stretching across multiple states, with several arrests and convictions, along with a drug warrant in Idaho. KDLL reported that she wrote an apology letter to Rodgers’ family after an autopsy revealed methamphetamine in his body.
Amid a growing drug problem, Alaska law enforcement has stepped up efforts to crack down on distributors. Earlier this month, investigators with the Fairbanks Area Narcotics Team arrested 60-year-old Frances Ann Haas following a sting operation involving methamphetamine that an informant acquired from Haas at the Banks Alehouse, where she worked at the time.
A key part of Barker’s case is that she has been convicted of homicide. In the past, prosecutors treated these incidents as accidents. The shift toward treating overdose-induced deaths as homicide suggests a more aggressive approach toward cracking down on drug users at all levels.
So in a couple years she will be free to kill again, just like in the past. Maybe the next time she ODs someone, she won’t be arrested at all, she will just tell the police she is a Carrear Killer, just practicing he trade. She should be sent to an Salvador Mega Prison LIFE, Along with Judge Lance Jonas, he ENABLED such behavior. ..