Homer woman charged in murder of Soldotna man

The victim, Keith Huss, 57, was found in Turnagain Pass

(Alaska State Troopers)Sarah Dayan

(Alaska State Troopers) Sarah Dayan

Correction: The web headline had the incorrect name for the Soldotna man found dead. He is Keith Huss.

The man found dead earlier this week in Turnagain Pass has been identified as a Soldotna man, and a Homer woman wanted in connection with the suspected homicide has been charged with murder.

The man, 57-year-old Keith Huss of Soldotna, was identified by the State Medical Examiner’s office, Alaska State Troopers reported Friday.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Troopers said that Huss was found dead in a pullout near Mile 68.5 Seward Highway in Turnagain Pass just after midnight on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Huss had been shot and had trauma injuries, troopers wrote. In a dispatch report on Wednesday, troopers said they were treating his death as a suspected homicide.

According to the Alaska Road Traveler 511 Information, the pullout is the Turnagain Pass Snowmobile Parking Lot.

Troopers identified Homer resident Sarah Dayan, 35, as a suspect in the case. They reported in an update on Friday that Huss was Dayan’s third-party custodian in a court case. On Monday afternoon, Sept. 28, he picked up Dayan at Wildwood Pretrial Facility in Kenai, they said.

Following the discovery of Huss’ body, troopers put out an alert on Wednesday seeking information about Dayan’s whereabouts. She was to be considered “armed and dangerous,” they wrote in the dispatch report.

Troopers found Sarah Dayan, 35, at about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, according to an online dispatch report. When contacted, Dayan reported injuries she sustained before troopers located her. She was taken to the Seward hospital.

After getting cleared at the Seward hospital, troopers arrested her on charges related to Huss’ killing. Troopers transported and remanded Dayan to Wildwood Pretrial Facility. According to online court records, she has been charged with first- and second-degree murder.

Troopers had gotten multiple reports that Dayan was in Seward and had been seen at several businesses, according to the latest dispatch report. Before law enforcement could respond, troopers wrote that Dayan stole a vehicle and drove it to the parking area at the base of Mount Marathon. Dayan then got into a van, also in the lot, and asked the sole driver of the vehicle for a ride, according to troopers.

Troopers, Seward Police Department, U.S. Park Service Police and U.S. Forest Service all arrived on scene. The driver of the van got safely out of the vehicle.

“The Alaska State Troopers would like to thank the public for its support and the numerous tips that lead to Dayan being located and taken into custody,” troopers wrote in Friday’s update. “AST would also like to thank our law enforcement partners for their assistance during the investigation.”

A search of court records shows Dayan currently has five criminal cases against her still open, including charges of theft and unauthorized use of an access device in August, and theft and trespassing in September.

Reach Michael Armstrong at marmstrong@homernews.com.

More in News

Concert-goers listen to The Discopians at Concert on the Lawn on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at Karen Hornaday Park in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
‘Dancing at the end of the world’

KBBI AM 890 hosted their annual Concert on the Lawn Saturday.

Lisa Gabriel unfurls a set beach seine during a test fishery for the gear near Clam Gulch, Alaska, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Seine test fishery continues after board of fish calls for more data

The east side setnet fishery has been entirely closed in recent years to protect Kenai River king salmon

Jason Criss stands for a photo in Soldotna, Alaska, after being named a qualifier for the Special Olympics USA Games on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna athlete to compete in 2026 Special Olympics USA Games

Thousands of athletes from across all 50 states will be competing in 16 sports.

The entrance to the Homer Electric Association office is seen here in Kenai, Alaska on May 7, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
HEA opens bids for real property

The deadline to submit bids is 5 p.m. on Aug. 11.

Arturo Mondragon-Lopez, Jr. (right) attends a change of plea hearing related to the October 2023 fatal shooting of Brianna Hetrick on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, at the Homer Courthouse in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Mondragon-Lopez sentenced for death of Homer woman

Arturo Mondragon-Lopez, Jr. accepted a plea deal in February for the shooting of Brianna Hetrick.

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna OKs $395,000 capital plan

This year’s list of capital projects is “nominal compared to some past years,” according to officials.

A map of areas proposed for annexation by the City of Soldotna. (Provided by City of Soldotna)
Soldotna adds annexation proposal to ballot

The proposed annexation is split across five small areas around the city.

Nets are extended from North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, during the first day of the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘A really good day’

Kenai River personal use sockeye salmon dipnet fishery opens.

The entrance to the Kenai Peninsula Borough building in Soldotna is seen here on June 1. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough assembly to consider ordinance to increase residential property tax exemption

If approved by voters in October, the ordinance would increase the tax exemption by $25,000.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in