January 6, 2023

(Anchorage, AK) – Today, 57-year-old Gilbert Dugaqua was sentenced by Anchorage Superior Court Judge Andrew Peterson for murdering his roommate in October 2019.

Judge Peterson sentenced Dugaqua to one count of second-degree murder, an unclassified felony, for murdering Teodoro Berdan in their shared residence on Oct. 3, 2019. The evidence showed that Dugaqua beat and kicked Berdan to death using steel-toed boots and a wooden rod. Dugaqua admitted to killing Berdan, but claimed he was acting in self-defense.

At sentencing, Judge Peterson found that Dugaqua has no prospects for rehabilitation, and that isolation from the community is necessary to prevent him from reoffending.

Dugaqua was on federal probation at the time of this offense and is currently pending proceedings in federal court.

CONTACT: Anchorage Assistant District Attorney Alice Curci and/or Matt Heibel at (907) 269-6300 or alice.curci@alaska.gov or matt.heibel@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.