Creepy: Three deaths in three days on one boat anchored near Juneau

The vessel Dusky Rock, anchored offshore at Sandy Beach on Douglas Island has become the scene of three deaths within the span of three days.

Sandy Beach is a popular recreation area in the heart of the Douglas town center, right across Gastineau Channel from Juneau.

On May 31, a 34-year-old female reported the discovery of her friend, 51-year-old Curtis Edwin Anderson, deceased on board the vessel.

Investigations revealed no indications of foul play surrounding Anderson’s death. His body will undergo an autopsy at the Alaska Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage, and his relatives were notified.

On June 2, at approximately 6:19 p.m., Juneau police received another report related to the Dusky Rock.

This time, a concerned individual informed authorities that he had heard a dog howling on the Dusky Rock and ventured out to investigate. He stumbled upon the lifeless body of a female on board.

Police and response workers confirmed the presence of two deceased females on board the boat. No other individuals were on the vessel, nor is it clear why the dog was there.

Authorities towed the vessel from Sandy Beach to Aurora Harbor, where Capital City Fire and Rescue conducted a thorough examination for the presence of harmful fumes and concluded that none were detected.

The deceased individuals have been identified as a 34-year-old Juneau woman and a 28-year-old Juneau woman.

Notably, the 34-year-old woman was the original complainant who reported Curtis Edwin Anderson’s death on 31st May. The next of kin for the 34-year-old have been informed, while police are still in the process of notifying the family for the 28-year-old female.

Although foul play has not been discovered during the preliminary investigations, police said that the use of controlled substances might have played a role in these fatalities. Both bodies will be transported to the Alaska Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage for autopsies to determine the cause of death.

Anderson had many prior run-ins with the law, including criminal offenses such as assault, driving under the influence, trespassing, and violating conditions of release, all going back to at least 2011.

The Dusky Rock is listed as a 35-foot fishing vessel that according to databases was originally built for William T. Council, the late husband of former Lt. Gov. Fran Ulmer, who had also served as the mayor of Juneau and a state representative.

As long ago as 2012, it was used in halibut fishing. It’s unclear who the owner of the vessel is today, but the deck is littered with crab pots.