Lawana Barker, 61 of Nikiski, was sentenced last week to four years in prison for her role in the 2023 death of Michael Rodgers.

Barker reported Rodgers dead on Aug. 11, 2023, according to previous Clarion reporting. Barker was arrested more than a year later, in December 2024. Alaska State Troopers said she had provided methamphetamine to Rodgers that caused his death because of a preexisting heart condition. Barker also had deleted an uncertain amount of information from the man’s phone.

According to a press release from the State Department of Law, Barker pleaded guilty to an amended charge of criminally negligent homicide, fourth-degree possession of a controlled substance and theft in the fourth degree. She was found responsible for the death because she had both obtained the drugs that killed Rodgers and taught him how to use it.

Superior Court Judge Lance Joanis on July 10 sentenced Barker to eight years in prison with four suspended — meaning four years incarceration — followed by seven years of probation.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.