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1985 Anchorage Murder - Unsolved
#1
Exclamation 
LOOKING for MORE Information!!

On a blustery October night at his Sand Lake duplex, 25-year-old Douglas Cleaves, his sister and two women friends had just finished dinner and were kicking back on the floor watching "Fame" when they heard two loud raps on the door.

What the …?

His sister glanced at the clock — 20 past midnight — and shot him a quizzical look. He nodded for her to answer. She did, and will never forgive herself for it.

That night, Doug, Susan and two women friends had a late dinner that included king crab legs and Champagne. One was a woman Doug was dating, a dancer at the Great Alaskan Bush Co. The other was his dear friend Laurel, who after more than 30 years is still too traumatized to have her last name used since the killer was never caught. The four of them were on the floor watching TV when, just after midnight, someone banged on the door.

It's not easy for Susan to relive the worst moments of her life, but she wants people to know what this "monster" did to her brother. Here's what she remembers after this hooded figure burst into the room.

BLAM!

The first bullet missed, went through the wall and almost hit the woman living in the other side of the duplex. Doug rose to his knees, put his hands out and pleaded, "Hey, don't shoot, I understand what's going on, don't shoot. We can work this out."

BLAM!

"I remember looking over at Douggie and seeing a little red spot on his forehead above his eye. And then I saw his eye come out of skull, and then he just went over backwards. I didn't look at him. I couldn't look at him."

BLAM!

BLAM!

BLAM!

After putting four bullets in Doug, the killer coolly turned and walked out.

With Susan paralyzed by shock, Laurel slammed the door, and the three of them ran screaming into the back bedroom. Susan grabbed the phone off Doug's desk and dialed 911 while the two others hid in his closet. Laurel didn't realize until later she was covered in gore.

When the cops banged on the door, Susan was too terrified to open it. She ran back to the phone and made the dispatcher promise it was officers and not the killer.

"She said, 'Yes, open the door.' I opened it, and guns were pointed at my head. I put my hands in the air, then without looking, pointed at my brother. I never looked at him again. I felt I'd be disrespecting him if I looked at him all bloody on the floor."
As neighbors milled about in their bathrobes, the police got the three women out of the house and questioned them separately into the early morning hours. Susan then made that unbearable call home. It was 7 a.m. when the phone rang in New Jersey. Her mother, at first happy to hear her voice, fainted when she heard the news.

https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/we-alask...-knocking/

LOOKING for MORE information!! 
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#2
Holy shit. That's an awful story. So sorry for Doug and those poor women who have that in their heads to this day.

It reads like every murder mystery I've ever read. Now I want to know more.
[Image: Zy3rKpW.png]
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#3
The story at the link is long, but it's very interesting and a quick read.  Thanks for posting this case LyToMe.

[Image: CleavesIn-wheelchair-releas.jpg]
Doug Cleaves ^ seemed to be a good-hearted, fun-loving and adventurous guy.  Rest in peace.

It was great to read that his sister Susan was able to get in touch with Doug's now-adult son and clear up the lies Doug's ex had told him regarding his father.

It seems highly likely that Doug either knew the killer, or knew why there would be a killer at the door, based on his exclamation before he was shot to death:  "I know what this is about, don't shoot, we can work this out."

Since his custody battle was so contentious, I imagine police would have looked very closely at his ex-wife and her associates, along with anyone who might have been interested in his girlfriend and anyone who might have been pissed about a pot deal or something like that (though it's hard to imagine such a brutal crime in front of witnesses over pot).

I wish there was more info regarding potential suspects in the article. I'd not heard about this case before now.  Do you know any more about LE's investigation, LyToMe?
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#4
(08-14-2018, 12:07 PM)Duchess Wrote: Holy shit. That's an awful story. So sorry for Doug and those poor women who have that in their heads to this day.

It reads like every murder mystery I've ever read. Now I want to know more.

How crazy is this?! And that after all this time there seems to still NOT be one suspect or someone that is being watched!? 

Backwoods shit!!
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#5
(08-14-2018, 12:07 PM)Duchess Wrote: Holy shit. That's an awful story. So sorry for Doug and those poor women who have that in their heads to this day.

It reads like every murder mystery I've ever read. Now I want to know more.

What would you like to know?
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#6
(08-14-2018, 01:39 PM)CleavesMurder Wrote:
(08-14-2018, 12:07 PM)Duchess Wrote: Holy shit. That's an awful story. So sorry for Doug and those poor women who have that in their heads to this day.

It reads like every murder mystery I've ever read. Now I want to know more.

What would you like to know? There was a bitter custody battle for their son Robert John Cleaves. Now Robert John Reas. His mother is Charlotte Palmer (Cleaves ) Reas in Wauchula Florida ( From Alaska)  The step father is Tommy Reas.  Robert never knew he was a Cleaves till he was around 11. He couldn't figure out why he didn't really look like the rest of the family.  . Doug won the custody battle hands down. He had FULL custody of his son. He was a fantastic father.
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#7
The murder happened on the weekend Doug DIDNT have Robert. He was at his MOTHERS house. Doug was constantly torments by his ex's family. They sent fake Drs into the hospital while he was trying to mend from loosing his legs. And then they went to court to try and get Robert away from his father ... again.. Judge didn't fall for it that time either. Doug kept FULL custody.
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#8
My God. Someone murdered a man confined to a wheelchair.

It's suspicious to me that while the child was normally there he wasn't on the night his dad is killed. The police must have looked at everyone involved in the court battle, right?

I agree with HotD in that Doug's exclamation when the killer busted in sounds like Doug either knew the person or felt he knew why the person was there.
[Image: Zy3rKpW.png]
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#9
(08-14-2018, 01:56 PM)CleavesMurder Wrote:
(08-14-2018, 01:39 PM)CleavesMurder Wrote:
(08-14-2018, 12:07 PM)Duchess Wrote: Holy shit. That's an awful story. So sorry for Doug and those poor women who have that in their heads to this day.

It reads like every murder mystery I've ever read. Now I want to know more.

What would you like to know? There was a bitter custody battle for their son Robert John Cleaves. Now Robert John Reas. His mother is Charlotte Palmer (Cleaves ) Reas in Wauchula Florida ( From Alaska)  The step father is Tommy Reas.  Robert never knew he was a Cleaves till he was around 11. He couldn't figure out why he didn't really look like the rest of the family.  . Doug won the custody battle hands down. He had FULL custody of his son. He was a fantastic father.
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#10
(08-14-2018, 01:59 PM)CleavesMurder Wrote: The murder happened on the weekend Doug DIDNT have Robert. He was at his MOTHERS house. Doug was constantly torments by his ex's family. They sent fake Drs into the hospital while he was trying to mend from loosing his legs.  And then they went to court to try and get Robert away from his father ... again..  Judge didn't fall for it that time either. Doug kept FULL custody.

Welcome to Mock CM.

Do you have any knowledge about the police investigation and potential suspects they interviewed, or your own theory regarding motive?
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#11
He was laying on the floor on a bunch of pillows. He didn't have his fake legs yet. He couldn't even get up to defend himself. I have pictures of him and news articles from when it happened but I need someone to walk me through how to do this. The files are on my computer.
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#12
(08-14-2018, 03:25 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote:
(08-14-2018, 01:59 PM)CleavesMurder Wrote: The murder happened on the weekend Doug DIDNT have Robert. He was at his MOTHERS house. Doug was constantly torments by his ex's family. They sent fake Drs into the hospital while he was trying to mend from loosing his legs.  And then they went to court to try and get Robert away from his father ... again..  Judge didn't fall for it that time either. Doug kept FULL custody.

Welcome to Mock CM.

Do you have any knowledge about the police investigation and potential suspects they interviewed, or your own theory regarding motive?
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#13
Yes I KNOW what the motive was. The police wont release any info because its an open murder case. The motive was... He won custody of his son. I have pages upon pages from the custody battle . They were awful to him. They tried every rotten trick in the book to get custody. But the Judge thank God saw through it and granted him custody. They were relentless the rotten things they pulled on him. And his son grew up being told his father was a drug addict and got killed in a drug deal gone wrong. They they took the son to Florida.. he was 2 12 years old at the time... and they changed his last name.
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#14
Thank you CM.

Police sometimes release information regarding ongoing investigations when they want the public's help in solving the case.

Have they not made any direct attempts to solicit leads and tips in all these years, aside from the linked article to generate new interest? Is there a cold case detective assigned to the case?

Anyway, I'm very sorry Doug was killed and very much hope whomever is responsible is held accountable.
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#15
(08-14-2018, 03:26 PM)CleavesMurder Wrote: He was laying on the floor on a bunch of pillows. He didn't have his fake legs yet.  He couldn't even get up to defend himself.  I have pictures of him and news articles from when it happened but I need someone to walk me through how to do this. The files are on my computer.

It would be interesting to have more background information.


First, save the images from your computer onto a public server like Photobucket or Imagur.

Then, click on the image and copy the image URL at the top of the page.

Next, click on the image icon in the Mock comment/reply box (it's the one with the mountain and sun near the center).

Paste the image URL in the image icon and your image will appear directly in your comment/reply.
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#16
Not sure how to download files from a computer to this page  I tried the ..insert an image file.  Asks for a url.   How can I download a file?
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#17
(08-14-2018, 05:04 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: [Image: ?ref=1][img][Image: Douggie%20art%205_zpsxlboatcn.png][/img][Image: ?ref=1][Image: ?view=recent&page=1]
(08-14-2018, 03:26 PM)CleavesMurder Wrote: He was laying on the floor on a bunch of pillows. He didn't have his fake legs yet.  He couldn't even get up to defend himself.  I have pictures of him and news articles from when it happened but I need someone to walk me through how to do this. The files are on my computer.

It would be interesting to have more background information.


First, save the images from your computer onto a public server like Photobucket or Imagur.

Then, click on the image and copy the image URL at the top of the page.

Next, click on the image icon in the Mock comment/reply box (it's the one with the mountain and sun near the center).

Paste the image URL in the image icon and your image will appear directly in your comment/reply.
Reply
#18
(08-15-2018, 09:16 AM)CleavesMurder Wrote: [img]<a href=[/img][Image: Douggie%20article%20FB%202_zpshsvc6v6n.png]" />
(08-14-2018, 05:04 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: [Image: ?ref=1][img][Image: Douggie%20art%205_zpsxlboatcn.png][/img][Image: ?ref=1][Image: ?view=recent&page=1]
(08-14-2018, 03:26 PM)CleavesMurder Wrote: He was laying on the floor on a bunch of pillows. He didn't have his fake legs yet.  He couldn't even get up to defend himself.  I have pictures of him and news articles from when it happened but I need someone to walk me through how to do this. The files are on my computer.

It would be interesting to have more background information.


First, save the images from your computer onto a public server like Photobucket or Imagur.

Then, click on the image and copy the image URL at the top of the page.

Next, click on the image icon in the Mock comment/reply box (it's the one with the mountain and sun near the center).

Paste the image URL in the image icon and your image will appear directly in your comment/reply.
Reply
#19
(08-15-2018, 09:20 AM)CleavesMurder Wrote: [img]<a href=[/img][Image: Douggie%20art%203_zps7z9gurxc.png]" />
(08-15-2018, 09:16 AM)CleavesMurder Wrote: [img]<a href=[/img][Image: Douggie%20article%20FB%202_zpshsvc6v6n.png]" />
(08-14-2018, 05:04 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: [Image: ?ref=1][img][Image: Douggie%20art%205_zpsxlboatcn.png][/img][Image: ?ref=1][Image: ?view=recent&page=1]
(08-14-2018, 03:26 PM)CleavesMurder Wrote: He was laying on the floor on a bunch of pillows. He didn't have his fake legs yet.  He couldn't even get up to defend himself.  I have pictures of him and news articles from when it happened but I need someone to walk me through how to do this. The files are on my computer.

It would be interesting to have more background information.


First, save the images from your computer onto a public server like Photobucket or Imagur.

Then, click on the image and copy the image URL at the top of the page.

Next, click on the image icon in the Mock comment/reply box (it's the one with the mountain and sun near the center).

Paste the image URL in the image icon and your image will appear directly in your comment/reply.
Reply
#20
(08-15-2018, 09:21 AM)CleavesMurder Wrote: [img]<a href=[/img][Image: Douggie%20article%20FB%201_zps0dyrmfx1.png]" />
(08-15-2018, 09:20 AM)CleavesMurder Wrote: [img]<a href=[/img][Image: Douggie%20art%203_zps7z9gurxc.png]" />
(08-15-2018, 09:16 AM)CleavesMurder Wrote: [img]<a href=[/img][Image: Douggie%20article%20FB%202_zpshsvc6v6n.png]" />
(08-14-2018, 05:04 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: [Image: ?ref=1][img][Image: Douggie%20art%205_zpsxlboatcn.png][/img][Image: ?ref=1][Image: ?view=recent&page=1]
(08-14-2018, 03:26 PM)CleavesMurder Wrote: He was laying on the floor on a bunch of pillows. He didn't have his fake legs yet.  He couldn't even get up to defend himself.  I have pictures of him and news articles from when it happened but I need someone to walk me through how to do this. The files are on my computer.

It would be interesting to have more background information.


First, save the images from your computer onto a public server like Photobucket or Imagur.

Then, click on the image and copy the image URL at the top of the page.

Next, click on the image icon in the Mock comment/reply box (it's the one with the mountain and sun near the center).

Paste the image URL in the image icon and your image will appear directly in your comment/reply.
Reply