March 1, 1983, in McCarthy, Alaska an old mining town at the base of the Wrangell Mountains.
It was a Tuesday, which in this town of about 20 people was mail day. Because this town was so remote, residents received mail and necessities such as groceries only once a week from what they called the mail plane.
Yall This town was so remote and small that one resident said “Around here there are so few of us we know each other by boot tracks.” Not only that they had no electricity, no running water and no telephone service. Im talking nearly off the grid all the way. If you want...
March 1, 1983, in McCarthy, Alaska an old mining town at the base of the Wrangell Mountains.
It was a Tuesday, which in this town of about 20 people was mail day. Because this town was so remote, residents received mail and necessities such as groceries only once a week from what they called the mail plane.
Yall This town was so remote and small that one resident said “Around here there are so few of us we know each other by boot tracks.” Not only that they had no electricity, no running water and no telephone service. Im talking nearly off the grid all the way. If you wanted to be left alone completely McCarthy was the place for you.
On mail day, the locals gathered at Lester and Florence Hegland’s place to wait for the mail plane because it was close to the airstrip. They would have coffee, play games, chat, etc while waiting. It was a social event for them.
But, this mail day was different. There were no games, no coffee, no chatting. Only terror ending in nearly half of the population of McCarthy being dead.
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"Troopers Leave Mass Murder Site." Anchorage Times, 4 Mar. 1983, p. 4.
"Harvard Grad, Husband Alaska Shooting Victims." North Adams Transcript, 7 Mar. 1983, p. 18.
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"Conflicts Delay Hastings Trial." Anchorage Times, 3 May 1983, p. 14.
O'Brien, P. (1983, July 17). Mccarthy Residents Recall Blood Bath. Anchorage Times, A-1, A-11.
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O'Brien, P. (1983, July 27). Psychiatrist Says Hastings Won't Talk. Anchorage Times, A-1, A-4.
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Pierson, R. (1984, May 15). Confessed Killer Seeks to Fire "Laggard" Lawyer. Anchorage Times, A-1, A-12.
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Scarpinato, M. (1984, June 14). Family Knew Hastings as "Happy Little Boy". Anchorage Times, A-1, A-12.
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"Dissolutions." Anchorage Daily News, 24 Jun. 1984, p. 16.
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Scarpinato, M. (1984, July 27). Judge Rules McCarthy Killer Was Sane. Anchorage Times, B-1.
Toomey, S. (1984, July 27). Killer May Have Intended to Slay Others, Doctors Say. Anchorage Times, C-1.
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Scarpinato, M. (1984, October 27). Hastings' Victim Files Suit for $3 Million in Damages. Anchorage Times, B-1.
Scarpinato, M. (1984, November 10). Confidentiality May Block Killer's Legal Fight. Anchorage Times, B-1, B-4.
Scarpinato, M. (1984, November 21). Mass Murderer Wants to Serve Sentence in Alaska. Anchorage Times, 13.
Leslie, T. (1985, February 2). Hastings Asks to Withdraw Murder Plea. Anchorage Times, A-1, A-12.
Rich, K. (1985, February 2). Hastings Puts Blame on Toxic Poisoning. Anchorage Daily News, C-1, C-3.
"Judge Denies Murderer's Request." Anchorage Daily News, 8 Feb. 1985, p. 16.
"Suit Filed in McCarthy Killings." Anchorage Daily News, 5 Mar. 1985, p. 27.
Jarvis, C. (1985, March 6). Hastings Bans Lawyer from Court. Anchorage Times, B-6.
Toomey, S. (1985, March 7). Judge Rejects McCarthy Killers Bid for Trial, New Plea. Anchorage Daily News, C-3.
Pragano, R. (1987, May 24). Appellate Court Upholds Hastings Murder Sentences. Anchorage Times, B-1, B-8.
