Son kills father in Koyuk

A Koyuk man is charged with murder in the first degree after a shooting on December 30, 2023. According to Alaska State Troopers, 35year-old Franklin Adams of Koyuk shot and killed his 74-year-old father Dennis Adams of Koyuk, inside a residence in Koyuk. Next of kin have been notified.

Franklin Adams was arrested and taken to AMCC in Nome.

According to the charging documents filed in the Nome Court, Franklin Adams called the AST dispatch on Dec. 30 at 5:42 p.m. and “reported that he was assaulted, he smoked some marijuana, then shot is father Dennis Adams three times in the head and shoulder area.”

According to the responding trooper’s affidavit, Franklin Adams then went to the City of Koyuk office. The mayor and a health aide responded and confirmed that the elder Adams was deceased.

That night, a trooper responded to the scene and Adams was detained in a holding cell in the public safety building.

A Bethel-based trooper responded to the scene the next day. According to the trooper’s affidavit filed in court, Franklin admitted to shooting his father. He said that he was watching a movie in his room, smoking marijuana and that he suspected the marijuana was laced with something else because “he blacked out and fell to the floor.” He woke up with injuries, grabbed his shotgun, went to the adjacent room where his father was and a struggle ensued, ending with the elder Adams being shot in the chest and in the head. Franklin reported to the trooper that he dialed 911 because “he wasn’t feeling himself.”

On January 1, Franklin Adams was arraigned in court and was assigned a public defender. Bail was set at $500,000. The next hearing is set for January 11 at 11 a.m. in the Nome Trial Court.