An Arizona business owner and stand-up comedian traveled over 3,000 miles to Alaska to carry out a deadly shooting that left his former father-in-law dead and his ex-wife injured, according to the Anchorage Police Department.
The suspect, Matthew Thomas Becker, 61, was discovered dead in a wooded area near Eagle River Campground on Sunday morning, approximately 15 miles from the initial crime scene. The discovery followed a high-stakes manhunt sparked by a violent sequence of events on Saturday, March 14.
A Targeted Ambush
The investigation began Saturday morning when Anchorage officers responded to reports of gunfire at a local hair salon. According to court records, Becker’s ex-wife arrived at her place of business to find the locks had been tampered with. As she attempted to enter, Becker reportedly leaped from a vehicle and opened fire.
The woman managed to escape the immediate barrage and hide, later contacting emergency services. While her specific medical condition has not been fully disclosed, she survived the encounter and immediately alerted authorities to the potential danger facing her father, 87-year-old Romaine Clark.
Upon arriving at Clark’s residence to conduct a welfare check, police discovered the elderly man deceased from gunshot wounds.
Discovery of the Suspect
Following the attacks, local law enforcement launched an intensive search for Becker. His body was located the following day; however, the Anchorage Police Department has not yet confirmed the cause of death. A medical examiner’s report is currently pending to determine if the suspect died by suicide or other causes.
Becker was well-known in Bisbee, Arizona, as the owner of Chuckleheads, a local comedy club. His brother told regional news outlets that Becker had recently received a terminal cancer diagnosis, a detail that has added a grim layer of context to the investigation, though police have not cited a formal motive.
Community and Family Reaction
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the Bisbee community. On Tuesday, the staff at Chuckleheads issued a blistering statement distancing themselves from the owner’s final actions.
“Matt ruined everything that the team at Chuckleheads ever tried to build,” the statement read. “There’s no convoluted cancer-medicated-induced rational argument that will ever bring that dad back.”
The club’s management expressed profound condolences for Romaine Clark, noting that Becker’s “last actions ruined every positive memory” the community held of him.
Investigation Status
The Anchorage Police Department continues to process evidence from both the salon and the Clark residence. While the primary suspect is deceased, investigators are piecing together the timeline of Becker’s travel from Arizona to Alaska to determine if there were any missed warning signs or accomplices in the logistics of the trip.
