Benjamin W. Stepetin has been missing since June 2025. His disappearance remains under active investigation as Juneau Police and volunteer dive teams conduct renewed searches along the downtown waterfront. His case continues to draw attention within Alaska’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples movement, which advocates for answers, accountability, and support for families of missing loved ones.
Police say the case is now being investigated as criminal as dive teams search the downtown waterfront nearly one year after Stepetin disappeared.
By Gina Hill | Alaska Headline Living | May 15, 2026
A renewed search effort is underway along Juneau’s downtown waterfront as investigators continue trying to find answers in the disappearance of Benjamin W. Stepetin, a man who has now been missing for nearly a year.
The Juneau Police Department announced this week that the Alaska Dive Search, Rescue and Recovery Team is conducting underwater search operations near the downtown cruise ship piers from May 11 through May 17. Residents and visitors may notice search boats, divers, sonar equipment, and remotely operated underwater vehicles working in the area throughout the week.
According to police, the operation is connected to the ongoing investigation into Stepetin’s disappearance. Investigators say information developed during the case led detectives to believe it is possible Stepetin entered the water near downtown Juneau on the night he vanished.
Police also confirmed the case is being investigated as a criminal investigation.
JPD says detectives are coordinating the search alongside the Alaska Dive Search, Rescue and Recovery Team and members of the Stepetin family.
Benjamin Stepetin was last seen in downtown Juneau during the early morning hours of June 22, 2025. He was later reported missing on June 29. In the months that followed, family members, volunteers, and community advocates searched for signs of him while continuing to push for answers.
Police have not announced any arrests or identified suspects publicly, and investigators have not said what specific evidence led them to focus on the downtown piers. Still, the new search effort signals that the investigation remains active and ongoing.
Anyone with information related to Benjamin Stepetin’s disappearance is asked to contact the Juneau Police Department at (907) 586-0600. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Juneau Crime Line or by calling Juneau Crime Line at (907) 523-7700.
