Utah man accused of creating torture chamber before kidnapping and killing missing Alaska woman

OGDEN, Utah (TCD) -- A 32-year-old man was recently arrested after allegedly kidnapping and killing a 38-year-old Alaska woman who went missing in 2019.

According to a press release from the Homer Police Department in Alaska, Anesha "Duffy" Murnane was last seen on Oct. 17, 2019. The case has been actively investigated ever since.

Murnane's last sighting is from security camera footage showing her leaving a supported housing complex called Main Tree Housing, the Homer News reports. On the day she went missing, Murnane reportedly left her Main Street apartment for a doctor's appointment on East End Road, but ultimately, she did not show up. An employee at Main Tree Housing reported Murnane missing on Oct. 19, the Homer News says.

On June 17, 2021, Murnane was reportedly declared dead in a presumptive death jury hearing that determined she most likely died by homicide. According to police, a tip and subsequent investigations led authorities to identify Kirby Calderwood as a suspect in the case. An affidavit obtained by the Homer News says Calderwood knew Murnane from when he was employed at Main Tree in the fall of 2019.

According to the Homer News, Calderwood transformed his former girlfriend's parents' crawlspace into a torture chamber and had stayed at the home in 2018. The home was allegedly unoccupied from mid-October to December 2019.

After preparing the torture chamber crawlspace, Calderwood allegedly drove around and saw Murnane walking to her doctor's appointment, and she got into his car.

According to the complaint obtained by the Homer News, Calderwood reportedly brought Murnane to the house and pushed her into the torture crawlspace, restrained her, and raped her. Calderwood allegedly continued to torture Murnane before killing her. He also threw her cellphone into the Beluga Lake, the Homer News reports.

On May 9, police say Calderwood was arrested and charged with kidnapping, first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and tampering with physical evidence.

In a statement, the Homer Police Department said, "We would like to thank everyone who cooperated in this investigation. There were dozens of folks that helped out with initial searches. Many others called in with tips and information and stood by ready to assist us."

Police added, "We would also like to thank the FBI and the Ogden Utah Police Department for all of the help they have provided. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Duffy’s family and all who are touched by this horrible event."

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