Victims Spotlight: The Suspected Victims of Alaska’s “Butcher Baker”

Robert Hansen was a compulsive liar. Even when confronted with evidence found in his home–including the damning aviator’s map with 37 “X” marks on it that matched sites where bodies had been found–Hansen would continue to deny involvement. When he finally did give authorities some information, it was primarily him blaming the victims and attempting to justify his actions. As prosecutor Frank Rothschild said during Hansen’s 1984 sentencing hearing, “He gives us what he knows he had to give us and no more.” Rarely did Hansen offer anything additional on any other victims.

The following list is a complication of 13 victims Robert Hansen is suspected of killing based on the infamous aviator chart and various trophies found in his home. While their cases remain open and officially unsolved, their stories still need to be told.

Ceilia “Beth” Van Zanten

Beth Van Zanten was only 18-years-old when she was last seen alive on December 22nd, 1971. A student at Anchorage Community College, Beth grew up in South Anchorage with her parents and three older brothers. Beth was described as an intelligent extrovert who was a bit boy crazy. The family was raised Morman, but by 1971, Beth’s brothers David and Joe had become accustomed to the party lifestyle. According to neighbor Becky David’s police statement, “I did not know the van Zanten family or the daughter, but I have seen a pretty rough bunch hanging around the house. And also, they hold some pretty loud parties.” The house in reference was the large home on Knik Avenue that Beth lived in with her brothers and their cousin, Greg Nicholas. Their parents lived in another house, also in the Anchorage area.

On the afternoon of December 22nd, Beth had gone shopping with her mother, her aunt, and a cousin. She spent that evening at home watching a movie with David and Joe. They were watching The Whole World Is Watching, a made-for-TV movie loosely based on the campus radicals of the late 1960’s. Somewhere around 8:30 pm, Beth noticed there was no soda in the house and decided to walk to the nearby Bi-Lo convince store before it closed at 9pm to buy some. She liked to walk. She usually walked everywhere. So, it was no surprise police found several witnesses that saw Beth walking in that direction between 8:45 and 9:00 pm. A neighbor claimed to have seen her on Northern Lights Blvd. at about 9:00 pm.

Beth never made it to the Bi-Lo. Her brothers didn’t report her missing until two days later. They assumed that their cousin Greg had picked her up on the way to the store.

Megan Siobhan Emerick

Megan Emerick was born on March 17th, 1956, and was raised in Delta Junction, Alaska. She was described as a quiet girl who enjoyed hunting and fishing with her family on the Yukon River. She liked horses, motorcycles and rock music. By 1973 Megan had left home to enroll as a student at the Seward Skill Center (now called the Alaska Vocational Technical Center). 17-year-old Megan Emerick was last seen on July 7th, 1973, exiting her dormitory’s laundry room. She did not take any personal belongings with her and has never been heard from again. Megan was 5″4′ and weighed approximately 120 pounds. She has long brown hair and hazel eyes. She has freckles and her front teeth protrude. Megan was last seen wearing a white long-sleeved checkered shirt, a brown short-sleeved sweatshirt, blue jeans and suede ski boots.

Megan age progressed to 56 years old by NCMEC.

Robert Hansen has denied any involvement in Megan’s case. Although he did admit being in Seward the day she disappeared. If Megan resurfaced today, she would be 66 years old. Her mother died in 1996, but her brothers are still alive and hope for a resolution in her case.

If you have any information on the disappearance of Megan Emerick, you are encouraged to contact the Seward Police Department (907-224-3338). Her agency case number is 73-1268.

Mary Kathleen Thill

There is limited information available in the case of 22-year-old Mary Thill. She was last seen in Seward, Alaska on Saturday, July 5th, 1975. At some point in the day, Mary was given a ride into town by a friend. She was dropped off at a local bakery. Another friend saw Mary at the waterfall on Lowell Point Road between 1:30 and 2:00 p.m. She has not been heard from since. At the time of her disappearance, Mary was living on Lower Point Road and her husband was away working on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline on the Northern Slope.

Mary was 5″5′ and weighed approximately 130 pounds. She has red hair, blue eyes and wears eyeglasses with round pink frames and thick lenses. Mary was last seen wearing an Army type jacket, a gray pullover sweater, blue Levi’s jeans, leather Tuffy brand hiking boots and was carrying a small black backpack. Robert Hansen has denied any involvement in Mary’s case. Although he did admit being in Seward the day she disappeared. If Mary were to resurface today, she would be 69 years old.

If you have any information on the disappearance of Mary Thill, you are encouraged to contact the Seward Police Department (907-224-3338). Her agency case number is D75-1356. Her NamUs number is MP16958.

Roxane Easland

Roxane Easland was reported missing by a friend on July 2nd, 1980, under the alias Karen Lee Baunsgard. The friend’s report claimed Roxane had not been seen since June 28th when she was supposed to meet an unknown male for a “date” on 4th Avenue in downtown Anchorage. Little is known about her past but for at least two weeks, she had been staying at the Budget Motel on Spenard Road in Anchorage with her boyfriend. There has been some discrepancy with Roxane’s age. Depending on which publication you read, she will either be listed as 23, 24 or 25-years old. Some agencies have spelled her first name “Roxanne” and her last name “Easlund.” Roxane has been known to also use the aliases Karen Baunsgard and Robin Lee Easland.

Roxane is 5″3′ and (at the time of her disappearance) weighed between 90 and 105 pounds. She has shoulder-length straight brown hair, brown eyes and a medium complexion. She has a birthmark on the top of her shoulder and a birthmark on the top of her right thigh. She may wear wire-framed eyeglasses. Roxane was last seen wearing a short brown leather coat with a fur collar, pants or blue jeans with black high-heeled boots. She was possibly carrying a purse. If Roxane were to resurface today, she would be in her mid-sixties.

Anyone with any information regarding the disappearance of Roxane Easland should contact the Alaska State Troopers (907-375-6413).

Lisa “Betty” Futrell

There is little information available on 24-year-old Lisa Futrell. It appears that even her birthday has been lost to time. She was last seen on September 7th, 1980, leaving her job at Bush Company; she also had a “date” that evening.

Malai Larsen

Malai Larson was born on August 30th, 1955. She was last seen alive in either 1981 or 1983.

Andrea Mona “Fish” Altiery

Andrea Altiery was reported missing by a friend on December 2nd, 1981. She was last seen was last seen taking a cab to the Boniface Mall in Anchorage, Alaska at 11:00 p.m. and was planning to meet an unidentified male who promised her hundreds of dollars for a nude photo shoot. She has not been heard from since. Originally from Hawaii, Andrea arrived in Alaska sometime in the early eighties and almost right away fell into the sex work scene in Anchorage. She began to work as an exotic dancer under the name Enchantment; but her friends and family called her Fish. She may have also used the name Lisa.

Andrea Altiery’s Fish Necklace (photo courtesy of Alaska State Troopers)

Andrea was 24 years old at the time of her disappearance. She was described as 5″5′ and weighed approximately 120 pounds. She has long brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black leather jacket, a red sweater, blue jeans and brown cowboy boots. Andrea was also wearing quite a bit of jewelry. Including a gold-colored ring set with a pearl, a gold-colored ring set with two pearls, an antique wedding band with a rose-set top, and a custom-made fish necklace. The necklace was a gold chain with a small sterling silver pendant in the shape of a salmon, with a diamond setting for the eye. She may have been carrying a black zippered purse and a small floral-print makeup bag.

Some of Andrea’s belongings, including her favorite fish necklace, were found in Hansen’s home when police searched it.

Anyone with any information regarding the disappearance of Andrea Altiery is asked to contact the Alaska State Troopers (907-375-6413).

Sue Luna

Sue Luna was 23-years-old in 1982. Originally from Washington State, she eventually found herself working as a dancer at the Good Times Bar in Anchorage. She was last seen by her roommate–another dancer at Good Times–Robin Price on May 26th. Sue had told Robin that she had made a “date” to meet an unidentified male Luna had met recently at the bar. Luna was to meet the man the following day at Alice’s 210 Restaurant. She was hoping this date would result in $300. Sue was looking forward to spending the upcoming weekend with her sister, Roberta.

Tamera Joy “Tami” Pederson

Tami Pederson was 21-years-old when she disappeared from the Wild Cherry nightclub in August of 1982. In an exclusive interview with Oxygen Tami’s brother, Tony, remembered his sister as a “free spirit” who was close with her family. When they had not heard from her by August, Tony and their parents suddenly moved to Alaska from Washington State to walk the streets of Anchorage looking for her. It took almost two years before they knew what became of her.

Robin Pelkey

After nearly 38-years, the Jane Doe formerly known as Horseshow Harriet was identified as 19-year-old Robin Pelkey. Originally from Denver, Colorado, Robin had been living in downtown Anchorage in the 1980’s when Hansen was active. In Alaska Department of Public Safety’s press release officials disclosed that where was no record of anyone in her family ever reporting Robin missing. The identification was done in October of 2021 through genetic genealogy after a close relative was located in Arkansas.

Angela “Angie” Feddern

Angela Feddern was born in Seattle, Washington on September 14th, 1958. She had come to Alaska sometime in 1979 and worked as an exotic dancer in Fairbanks. It was her boss at Murphy’s Law that reported her missing in February of 1983. The Butcher Baker blog described Angela as a “… a troubled soul. Her sister in Seattle knew that she was into drugs and turning tricks to support her habit. She reached out. She tried to help. So did her mother. They both failed.” Angela is survived by her only daughter, Christina.

DeLynne Renee “Sugar” Frey

Baltimore native DeLynne Frey was a waitress living in Anchorage when she was last seen in April 1983. DeLynne was a child of divorce and rarely seemed to stay in one place for very long. By the time her remains were identified in 1990, DeLynne was survived by her mother, Jean Hawks, her stepfather, William Hawks, and her three sisters Dawn, DeLanna, and Missy who were all living in Hawaii. She was only 19 years old.

Teresa Watson

Teresa Watson came to Anchorage from Sacramento, California. Born sometime in 1961 she died in either 1982 or 1983.

Research Sources:

Butcher, Baker: The True Account of an Alaskan Serial Killer by Walter Gilmour and Leland E. Hale

Robert Hansen’s Murderpedia Profile

Robert Hansen: The Alaskan Serial Killer Who Hunted His Victims Like Animals by Katie Serena

Unsolved Murder: Did Alaskan Serial Killer Robert Hansen Kill Beth van Zanten?

Butcher, Baker Blog

The Doe Network

NCMEC

Find a Grave

The Charley Project

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