On August 17, 2018, the Anchorage Police Department opened a case that would ultimately expose one of the most disturbing crimes in Alaska’s recent history.

It began with a Crime Stoppers tip that was impossible to dismiss.

A woman named Alicia Youngblood contacted police with a chilling claim: a man she knew had confessed to murdering a woman in Anchorage — and had shown her a video of the killing. She identified him as Brian Steven Smith.

That afternoon, Youngblood walked into police headquarters, visibly shaken but determined. She met with detectives and carefully described what she had witnessed. Despite her fear, she handed over her phone and gave investigators full permission to extract its data. She was not protecting herself — she was trying to protect others. She wanted this man stopped.

What followed would uncover a case far darker than anyone imagined.

The Lost Girls is sharing Episode Three of the Harm Done Podcast to honor the courage of those who come forward, to expose the systems that allow violence to continue, and to remind us that sometimes justice begins with a single person choosing to speak.

We strongly encourage everyone listening to also follow Amber Batts and support her ongoing investigative work at:👉 ⁠https://theharmdone.substack.com/⁠

Thank you, Amber, for your courage, your persistence, and your commitment to the truth.