Willow man sentenced to 80 years in prison for 2018 murder of wife

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Palmer Superior Court Judge Kari Kristiansen has sentenced a 63-year-old man to 80 years in prison for the 2018 murder of his wife and destruction of evidence.

In October 2022, a Palmer jury found Michael James Kilgo guilty on charges of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and tampering with evidence in the 2018 death of his wife, 56-year-old Hattie Labuff-Kilgo.

At trial, the jury reviewed evidence that Kilgo had caused multiple injuries to the head of Labuff-Kilgo using a splitting maul. An autopsy revealed that she died as a result of blunt force trauma before Kilgo set fire to her remains in an attempt to hide evidence of her death. Kilgo also attempted to destroy the splitting maul used in the attack, as well as other pieces of evidence found at the scene.

At the 5-week-long trial, the jury rejected Kilgo’s claims that he acted both in self-defense and in the heat of passion.

Kristiansen found that Kilgo lacked remorse for the act and, as such, was likely to present substantial danger to others in the future.

Alaska State Troopers conducted a welfare check on Labuff-Kilgo in late August 2018, and it was determined by troopers that she had traveled to Petersville from her home in Willow. Labuff-Kilgo’s vehicle and remains were located in a pullout area off a road near Petersville shortly after members of her family reported her missing.

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