Christopher Popps, 54, of Michigan, has been arrested and charged with the 1993 murder of Patrick Orville Dearth, a former co-worker who vanished without a trace from Fairbanks, Alaska. The breakthrough in the 30-year-old cold case came after Popps allegedly made an anonymous confession to Alaska State Troopers.
Dearth was reported missing in November 1993. For decades, the case remained unsolved with few leads until Jan. 22, 2025, when an anonymous tipster claimed responsibility for a murder in the Fairbanks area in 1993. The Alaska Bureau of Investigation’s Cold Case Unit took over the investigation.
Investigators faced initial challenges in searching the suspected area due to snow cover and limited daylight. Upon returning in May 2025, authorities discovered human remains inside a barrel located down a steep embankment near Mile 47 of the Steese Highway. The Alaska State Medical Examiner’s Office identified the remains as Dearth and classified his death as a homicide.
Authorities identified the anonymous tipster as Popps. According to Alaska State Troopers spokesperson Austin McDaniel, Popps had made multiple anonymous calls to various Alaska law enforcement agencies confessing to Dearth’s death. The motive for Popps's delayed confessions remains unclear.
Investigators determined that Popps and Dearth worked together in Fairbanks. The fatal incident reportedly stemmed from an altercation at an auto shop, which led to Popps allegedly shooting Dearth. McDaniel stated that the confrontation concluded with Popps firing his weapon at Dearth.
On June 25, 2026, a Fairbanks grand jury indicted Popps on two counts of second-degree murder. A warrant for his arrest was issued the same day. Michigan State Police apprehended Popps near Kalamazoo on July 16. He is currently held in Kalamazoo County Jail, awaiting extradition to Alaska.
As of Friday, court records in Alaska did not list an attorney for Popps, and no future court dates had been scheduled.