In a shocking turn of events, a memory card containing gruesome recordings of a killing has become the central piece of evidence in a double murder trial set to begin this week. The disturbing contents of the card were discovered when a woman, with a lengthy criminal history, stole it from a man who had picked her up near downtown Anchorage. The woman, who initially claimed to have found the digital memory card on the street, eventually turned it over to the police a week later.

The recordings on the memory card depict a woman being brutally beaten and strangled at a Marriott hotel in Anchorage. The attacker's voice can be heard in the videos, stating, "In my movies, everybody always dies. What are my followers going to think of me? People need to know when they are being serial-killed." The chilling footage also shows the victim's body being discreetly transported outside on a luggage cart, covered with a blanket.

The identity of the attacker was quickly recognized by the police as Brian Steven Smith, a South Africa native whom they had previously investigated. Smith, now 52, has pleaded not guilty to 14 charges, including first- and second-degree murder, sexual assault, and tampering with evidence, in the deaths of Kathleen Henry and Veronica Abouchuk. Both victims were Alaska Native women who had experienced homelessness and hailed from small villages in western Alaska.

Authorities have determined that Henry was the victim whose death was recorded at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott, as Smith was registered to stay there during the time the footage was captured. The last images on the memory card, taken on September 6, showed Henry's lifeless body in the back of a black pickup truck. Location data from Smith's phone placed him in the vicinity of where Henry's body was later found.

During the investigation, Smith shockingly confessed to another murder. While being interrogated about the Marriott case, he spontaneously revealed that he had killed Abouchuk as well. Smith even provided details about her, including a photo and the location of her remains along the Old Glenn Highway. Authorities had previously misidentified another body as Abouchuk's, but with Smith's information, they were able to confirm that a skull with a bullet wound found in the specified area belonged to her.

Despite efforts from Smith's attorney to exclude or discredit the evidence from the memory card, the judge ruled that the woman who stole it could testify about her possession of the card and that the recordings could be properly authenticated. The trial, expected to last three to four weeks, commenced with jury selection on Monday. Prosecutors had suggested the possibility of closing the courtroom to prevent the public from viewing the gruesome videos, but the judge has assured that safeguards will be in place to protect the viewers.

The families of Henry and Abouchuk have remained silent, with no public statements or responses to media inquiries. Smith's wife, Stephanie Bissland, and his sister in South Africa have also declined to comment until after the trial. Smith, who came to Alaska in 2014 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen the same month Henry was killed, previously wrote a letter to the Associated Press declining to discuss the case but mentioning that he was doing well and had made positive changes in his life.

This harrowing case has shed light on the vulnerability and dangers faced by Alaska Native women, particularly those who are homeless. District Attorney Brittany Dunlop emphasized the importance of treating these victims with dignity and respect, acknowledging the impact such crimes have on the Alaskan community. As the trial unfolds, the shocking evidence from the memory card will undoubtedly play a crucial role in seeking justice for the victims and their families.