Man charged with murder after grandmother found shot to death in her wheelchair, police say

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story contains discussion about mental health issues. If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available by calling 988.

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF/KTUU/Gray News) – An 87-year-old woman in Alaska was found shot to death in her wheelchair Tuesday. Police said her grandson confessed to killing her.

Fairbanks police said 29-year-old Brian Davenport was taken into custody in connection with the death of Velma Koontz.

He appeared for his arraignment via livestream Wednesday at the Fairbanks Courthouse on murder charges.

Koontz’s son, George Koontz, was in court as well. He told the judge that Davenport has a history of not taking his medications and encouraged the state not to release him.

“He’s a danger to the public,” George Koontz said. “Obviously, he assaulted his mother last summer and now my mother.”

Officers responded to a call on 22nd Avenue around 3:45 p.m. Tuesday. They said they found Velma Koontz with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the back of her head.

The victim’s husband said he had gone to the store and found his gun outside when he came back. Inside the home, he found his wife dead, seated in her wheelchair.

Less than an hour earlier, the Fairbanks Police Department said it received a call from Davenport. He had called 911, provided an address, but did not reply to any of the dispatcher’s prompts, according to charging documents.

An officer was dispatched and contacted Davenport, who was found pacing back and forth on the side of the road.

The officer brought Davenport to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital after noticing what the officer described as “careless behavior,” including Davenport walking in the roadway and putting himself in danger of being hit by a car.

After the police department became aware of Koontz’s death and Davenport’s connection to her, the officer who took Davenport to the hospital questioned him on the situation.

The officer said Davenport immediately shared that he had killed someone.

Police took Davenport in for questioning. After being advised of his rights, police said he admitted to stealing his grandfather’s handgun and killing Koontz.

Authorities said Davenport stated he initially planned to kill someone else but changed his mind and killed his grandmother instead.

During his interview, Davenport told officers killing someone is wrong, but compared his decision to “pulling the plug” on a person, police said.

When asked why, police said Davenport made multiple statements advising that he wanted his grandmother to go peacefully and he “didn’t want her to worry about the legacy she left behind,” according to charging documents.

Detectives who spoke with George Koontz learned Velma Koontz was under hospice care and had been diagnosed with cancer.

Davenport was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder and was taken to Fairbanks Correctional Center, where he is being held on a $5 million dollar bail, according to the police department.