A Fairbanks judge set bail at $1 million Sunday for an Ester man accused of fatally shooting his stepfather.
Thomas Allen Wilson, 38, was arrested Sunday in connection with the death of 65-year-old John Gould.
According to a criminal complaint, multiple people were gathered at Gould’s Midway Placer Road cabin Sunday for a bonfire. Gould was showing people how to chop wood, and one of his friends told Wilson that he needed to hit the log harder and called him a “princess.” Wilson grabbed a hatchet and approached the woman while holding the hatchet over his head. He reportedly threatened to cut the woman’s throat, and she ran away, court documents stated.
When the woman returned to the bonfire, Wilson was arguing with a man. The woman broke up the argument, and Wilson walked toward the man’s cabin, where he reportedly stole a .40 caliber handgun, according to the complaint.
Multiple people reported hearing a gunshot near Wilson’s cabin.
Wilson later told Alaska State Troopers that he went to his cabin, got his .22 caliber rifle, and shot a squirrel on his porch, according to the complaint.
The woman told Gould that Wilson had stolen a handgun. A second woman walked up to Wilson’s cabin and saw him standing near the door with a pistol in his hand.
According to the complaint, Wilson retrieved a handgun from his cabin and was telling the two women to get away when he saw Gould walk up and heard the sound of a handgun chambering a round, Wilson told troopers.
The first woman was trying to get the second woman away from Wilson when Gould approached with a handgun at his side.
Wilson reportedly started firing at Gould, and Gould raised his gun and fired at Wilson, court documents stated. Gould fell to the ground, and Wilson reportedly walked over and fired three or more rounds into Gould.
Wilson told troopers that he first fired two rounds into the ground near Gould and only shot at Gould after Gould lifted his pistol.
Gould was declared deceased at the scene by medical personnel and had gunshot wounds to his thigh, wrist, shoulder, and face.
Alaska State Troopers found nine spent .40 caliber bullet casings at the scene — five near Wilson’s porch and four near Gould’s body. Troopers did not find any spent .45 caliber casings.
Wilson told troopers that he was “losing it” on the woman after she called him a “princess.”
Wilson faces charges of felony first-degree murder, felony third-degree assault, and felony second-degree theft of a firearm. Magistrate Judge Spenser Ruppert set Wilson’s bail at $1 million.
Contact Haley Lehman at 907-459-7575 or by email at hlehman@newsminer.com.
