Joshua Oktoyak Sentenced to Serve 75 Years for Domestic Violence Murder

September 19, 2025

(Anchorage, AK) - Yesterday, Anchorage Superior Court Judge Andrew Peterson sentenced 36-year-old Joshua Oktoyak for the murder of his girlfriend, Cindy Ahwinona, on July 12, 2023. Judge Peterson sentenced Oktoyak to 90 years incarceration, with 15 years suspended, for 75 to serve now. Oktoyak will be placed on supervised probation for 10 years upon release. Oktoyak will first become eligible for discretionary parole at the age of 84.

The evidence at trial revealed Oktoyak used both a serrated kitchen knife and a hammer to inflict dozens of injuries to Ahwinona as she attempted to call 911 inside her home. Nearby security cameras captured Oktoyak leaving the scene of the murder. Anchorage Police officers located him approximately one week later and apprehended him. Investigators discovered what appeared to be blood stains on his clothing and later confirmed them to be Ahwinona's blood. Text messages discovered on Ahwinona's phone revealed Oktoyak, just hours before he killed Ahwinona, threatened to kill someone if they called the police.

Judge Peterson stated he was struck by the "unprovoked nature" of this attack and "inexplicable rage" exhibited by Oktoyak and the violence used by Oktoyak was "shocking and beyond comprehension." Judge Peterson also stated this was one of the most violent cases that he has seen in his career as both a lawyer and judge.

Judge Peterson found several aggravating factors applied, by analogy, including Oktoyak "employed a dangerous instrument in furtherance of the offense," his "prior criminal history includes conduct involving aggravated assaultive behavior and repeated instances of assaultive behavior," "the conduct constituting the offense was among the most serious conduct included in the definition of the offense," Oktoyak and Ahwinona were in a dating relationship, and he has a "criminal history of repeated instances of conduct violative of criminal laws … similar in nature to the offense for which the defendant is being sentenced." Judge Peterson also found Oktoyak is a "worst offender" and has little prospect for rehabilitation.

Assistant Attorneys General Matthew Kaste and Daniel Shorey prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Paralegal Aryel Dilley. Anchorage Police Department Detective Troy Clark, along with others from the Anchorage Police Department Homicide Unit, investigated the case.

Contact: Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Kaste at [email protected].

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at [email protected] or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at [email protected] or (907) 269-6269.