December 28, 2022

(Anchorage, AK) – Today, 32-year-old Alex Bender was sentenced by Anchorage Superior Court Judge Erin Marston for attempting to kill another inmate at Anchorage Correctional Complex.

Bender was convicted by a jury in May 2022. Evidence at trial showed that on January 12, 2018, Bender attacked another inmate and repeatedly stomped on his head following a telephonic fight with girlfriend, during which he told her in a recorded phone call that he was going to kill someone. At trial, Bender admitted to the attack on the other inmate but claimed he did not intend to kill the victim.

Judge Marston sentenced Bender to serve 40 years with none suspended for the conviction for first-degree attempted murder, an unclassified felony. At sentencing, Judge Marston found that Bender belonged to the “worst type of offender” category, based on his lengthy criminal and institutional history, and that the most important factor in his sentencing decision was the need to isolate the defendant in order to protect the community. 

Bender is the custody of the Department of Corrections. In addition to today’s sentence, he is currently serving a 20-year sentence for a first-degree assault conviction resulting from a 2017 stabbing.

CONTACT: Anchorage Assistant District Attorney Alice Curci at (907) 269-6300 or alice.curci@alaska.gov.

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6379.