Human remains discovered in chest freezer by relative cleaning residence at Switzer Village

Person cleaning home after death of a family member finds person also believed to be a relative in a locked outbuilding; cause and timing of death unknown, according to JPD

A neighborhood in the 6500 block of Glacier Highway, where a person cleaning a residence reported finding human remains in a chest freezer on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (Google Maps image)

By Mark Sabbatini

Juneau Independent

Human remains were discovered in a chest freezer by a person cleaning a residence at Switzer Village Mobile Home Park following the death of a family member, the Juneau Police Department reported Tuesday.

A preliminary identification indicates the deceased man is another relative of the person cleaning, according to a JPD information release. It is not known how long the body was in the freezer, and the person’s identity and cause of death are now being determined by the Alaska State Medical Examiner's Office.

The person cleaning the residence in the 6500 block of Glacier Highway reported finding the remains to police at about 8 p.m. Sunday, the release notes. The chest freezer was in a locked outbuilding on the property.

Deputy Police Chief Krag Campbell, in an interview Tuesday evening, estimated the man in the freezer was between 50 to 80 years old. He said there were no obvious indications of a knife or bullet wounds, but "at this time it's just too difficult to say" if foul play was involved.

No missing person report related to the deceased man has been filed with JPD, according to the department’s release.

Campbell, a JPD officer for more than 20 years, said he is not familiar with another incident such as this during his time with the department. The department’s release states "there is no known threat to the public" at this stage of the investigation.

"Anytime we have somebody missing, someone's immediately jumping to ‘there's a serial killer on the loose,’" Campbell said. "We're really just trying to say this probably seems isolated based off of a family member to the person who found them in the home where they're associated with. It's not like some random person is in the fridge. We're trying to indicate it's isolated to this one core event and this one family."

People with information that may assist investigators are asked to contact JPD at 907-586-0600. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Juneau Crime Line at www.juneaucrimeline.com.

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.