Palmer man sentenced to 99 years for 2016 murder of schoolmate

PALMER, Alaska (KTUU) - A man convicted of murdering a schoolmate when they were both 16 years old was sentenced Monday to serve 99 years in prison, according to the Alaska state Department of Law.

A release from the department said that Palmer resident Erick Almandinger, now 22, was sentenced to 99 years for the kidnapping and murder of then 16-year-old David Grunwald in November 2016. Almandinger was convicted of his crimes by a Palmer jury in May 2018, following the conviction of three other teenagers who were also accused of playing a role in the murder.

Retired state Superior Court Judge Gregory Heath “found Almandinger’s crimes were truly horrific and committed for no apparent reason,” according to the release. Heath also handed down the sentences for Austin Barrett and Dominic Johnson, who were found guilty of the crimes, along with Almandinger and Bradley Renfro. The statement said that Renfro will be sentenced this week, beginning Wednesday.

State prosecutors have said the group of four teens pistol-whipped Grunwald in a camper before driving him out to a location along Knik River Road and executing him with a single shot to the head.

Almandinger was sentenced to 99 years with 20 suspended, five years for first-degree assault, 30 years (with 20 suspended) for kidnapping, a $2,500 fine for arson, five years for tampering with physical evidence, and a $2,500 fine for first-degree vehicle theft.

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