Christopher Sture Convicted of Murder in the Second Degree for Abusive Head Trauma of a Two-Year-Old

October 23, 2026

(Anchorage, AK) - On Oct. 22, 2026, an Anchorage jury returned guilty verdicts on two counts of Murder in the Second Degree in the trial of State of Alaska v. Christopher Sture. The trial began on Sept. 28, 2026 and was submitted to the jury to begin deliberations in the afternoon of Oct. 21, 2026.

The convictions stem from conduct on Oct. 27, 2022. That evening, Christopher Sture was home alone with 2-year-old L.M. L.M. was the son of Sture's live-in partner at the time and Sture was responsible for his care that evening. L.M. was rushed to the hospital after his mother found him unconscious and having apparent seizure like activity in bed. Medical evidence from over a dozen treating physicians and expert witnesses showed that L.M. suffered from abusive head trauma, which is an umbrella term for traumatic brain injury inflicted by a combination of shaking, slamming, or blunt force trauma to the head. Despite excellent care at the hospital, L.M. never regained consciousness and was declared dead on Nov. 1, 2022. The jury also heard evidence that L.M. was observed to have many other concerning injuries and bruises throughout the months leading up to his death, and while in Sture's care, that were indicative of ongoing abuse.

Retired Judge William Morse presided over the case. For his convictions, Sture faces a sentencing range of 15-99 years in custody. Sentencing has been scheduled for Feb. 3, 2027 at 1pm.

This case was prosecuted by District Attorney Brittany Dunlop and Assistant District Attorney Malone Van Wieren of the Anchorage District Attorney's Office, with the assistance of paralegal Tanna Severson. The case was investigated by the Anchorage Police Department's Crimes Against Children and Homicide Units and relied heavily on work done by and cooperation with physicians at Providence Alaska Medical Center and Anchorage's Child Advocacy Center, Alaska CARES.

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Department Media Contact: Information Officer Sam Curtis at [email protected] or (907) 269-6269.

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