Alaska’s Machete Killer

On Saturday, December 1, 2007, Christopher (Chris) Erin Rogers Sr., 51, and his girlfriend Elann Moren, 55, threw a party in their Palmer, Alaska home to celebrate the one-year anniversary of their relationship. Rogers’s son Christopher Erin Rogers Jr. (Erin), 28, helped Elann buy groceries and prepare his favorite meal, homemade pizza, for the occasion. During the celebration, Elann and Chris discussed their planned wedding scheduled for June 21st, the summer solstice, and Erin volunteered to oversee the flower arrangements for the wedding. Amid the frivolity sat Bear, Chris’ dog, a half English Mastiff and half wolf mix, weighing 150 lbs. Bear was very loyal to Chris and never left his side.

After the party ended, Elann and Chris retired to their bedroom. Elann said she heard Erin in the living room watching TV, and she listened as he went in and out of the house several times. She assumed he was smoking cigarettes outdoors and then returning indoors to watch television. When she awoke at 4:20 am and still heard the television, she considered telling Erin to turn off the TV and go to bed.

A few minutes later, Elann froze as a shadowy figure walked into their bedroom. It was too dark to make out the individual’s features, but she could see the person holding something long and slender in his hand. She thought the object was a stick, and when the shadow began hitting Chris…