These photos, posted in 2015, on Eunice Whitman’s Facebook page, shows her smiling with Justine Paul. A bright spirit whose life was tragically cut short in May 2015, Eunice’s murder remains unsolved a decade later. Her family and community continue to seek justice.
By Gina Hill | Alaska Headline Living | December 2025
BETHEL, Alaska – It has been a more than a decade since 23-year-old Eunice Whitman, an Alaska Native woman, was murdered in a public place in Bethel, yet her case remains unsolved. Found stabbed near the Pinky’s Park boardwalk on May 24, 2015, Whitman’s death shocked the community and left questions about safety, justice, and accountability in its wake.
At the time, law enforcement arrested Whitman’s boyfriend, Justine Paul, and charged him with first-degree murder. He spent nearly seven years in custody awaiting trial. However, in 2022, prosecutors dismissed the charges, citing critical flaws in the evidence originally used to indict him. Paul was released, and no one else has been charged.
Since then, Alaska authorities have maintained that the case is an active investigation, but public information is scarce. State records list the case among unresolved homicides, a stark reminder that the person or persons responsible for Eunice’s death have not yet faced justice.
This image shows the city of Bethel, where violence against Alaska Native women remains a significant concern. According to Alaska Department of Public Safety records, Bethel has one of the highest rates of reported violent crimes against women in the state. Efforts to address these cases, including unsolved murders like that of Eunice Whitman, continue.
Photo credit: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Digital Visual Library
Local advocates and Alaska Native leaders have called on state officials to prioritize the investigation, noting that unsolved murders of Alaska Native women are disproportionately high. Whitman’s case is emblematic of a larger crisis in Alaska, one in which violence against Indigenous women often goes unpunished.
Alaska State Troopers have reopened the investigation in recent years, reviewing evidence and pursuing leads, though they have not publicly announced new suspects or developments. Officials urge anyone with information to contact local authorities.
Eunice Whitman’s story is more than a cold case; it is a call to action. A decade later, the Bethel community continues to honor her memory by insisting that her murder cannot be left unresolved. Justice delayed is justice denied, and Whitman’s family hopes that renewed attention will lead to answers.
Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact Alaska State Troopers in Bethel at (907) 543-2224.
