An Anchorage jury found Sarah Dayan, 39, guilty of 15 crimes on Dec. 23, following a seven-week trial. According to a Dec. 24 release issued by the State of Alaska Department of Law, Dayan’s convictions — including murder, burglary and theft — stem from the 2020 murder of Keith Huss and Dayan’s ensuing flight from police.
The jury deliberated for approximately 1.5 days before finding Dayan guilty of one count of murder in the first degree, two counts of murder in the second degree, one count of burglary, one count of being a felon in possession of a concealable firearm, four counts of theft or attempted theft, three counts of vehicle theft, and three counts of violating a condition of release while on bail.
According to the release, the jury found for the first-degree murder conviction and one of the two second-degree murder convictions that the defense of “heat of passion” applied. This defense did not apply to the second conviction of murder in the second degree.
Huss had been appointed by a judge to be Dayan’s third-party custodian as a condition of her release on bail from Wildwood Correctional Complex in Kenai on Sept. 28, 2020. According to the release, Huss picked Dayan up from jail that same day, and the two were seen getting into Dayan’s vehicle, stating their plan to drive to Anchorage to work at Huss’s food truck.
Huss’s body was found early in the morning on Sept. 29, 2020, at the Turnagain Pass Rest Area. A passing motorist reported the body to Alaska State Troopers. Troopers’ investigation showed that Huss had been shot four times with a .45 caliber pistol and had been struck by a vehicle.
Following the discovery of Huss’s body, troopers initiated a manhunt for Dayan, who was eventually apprehended in Seward on Oct. 1, 2020. Subsequent investigation revealed that Dayan obtained a .45 caliber pistol shortly after her release from jail, the release states. AST also observed that damage to Dayan’s vehicle was consistent with it having been used to strike Huss.
A review of Huss’s bank account revealed that Dayan had used it to purchase items for herself and had transferred hundreds of dollars from his account to hers after his death. Troopers additionally linked Dayan to a series of vehicle thefts in Seward, as well as the burglary of a Seward cabin, that were committed while she fled from police.
Seward police also assisted Alaska State Troopers in the investigation.
Dayan is being held without bail pending sentencing, which is currently scheduled for May 6, 2025, at 9 a.m. According to the release, the three murder charges will merge at sentencing, and Dayan will face a sentencing range from 15-99 years on the merged charge.
Assistant Attorney General Tyler Jones, who was one of the state prosecutors of this case, said in the release, “We are thankful that a jury held Sarah Dayan accountable for her crimes. We hope that Keith’s loved ones are able to obtain some closure in light of this verdict.
“The State appreciates the attention and dedication the jurors paid to this case. The Department of Law thanks the Alaska State Troopers, the Alaska Scientific Crime Detection Lab and the Seward Police Department for their partnership and assistance.”
