A Funny River man faces murder charges in connection to human remains found in Soldotna earlier this year. A Kenai grand jury indicted 35-year-old Joseph Mesa last week in the death of 39-year-old Derek Berry. In addition to murder charges, Mesa was indicted on charges of evidence tampering, burglary and misconduct involving controlled substances in an investigation state prosecutors say is ongoing.
Alaska State Troopers announced in June that investigators had found human remains at a property in Soldotna, later determined to be Berry, a Soldotna resident who had been reported missing by a family member in early May. Troopers found Berry’s body while following up on the missing persons report. Troopers said evidence at the scene suggested Berry’s death was suspicious, and the Alaska Bureau of Investigation took over the case.
At the end of May, the state medical examiner classified Berry’s death as a homicide. In a short statement Friday, troopers said they had identified Mesa as a suspect at the time, but did not arrest him. Mesa was arrested last month as part of a separate case.
A grand jury handed up its indictment of Mesa last Wednesday. On Friday, state prosecutors added three new criminal counts, including misconduct involving a corpse, criminal mischief and theft.
In a narrative accompanying the new charges, Kenai District Attorney Dan Strigle wrote that Berry and Mesa came into contact three days before Berry’s family reported him missing, while Berry was confronting Mesa’s cousin.
According to the charges, Mesa told multiple people before and after Berry is believed to have been killed that he was taking Berry “to the train station.” Prosecutors say that is a reference to the television show, “Yellowstone,” in which the phrase is a euphemism for killing someone and disposing of the body.
Several days later, troopers stopped a woman driving Berry’s vehicle in Soldotna. The woman said her boyfriend had purchased the vehicle from Mesa. Troopers found what looked like human blood in the trunk and later confirmed it was a DNA match for Berry. Troopers also found a bag with Mesa’s information and a shotgun in the vehicle.
In an interview with troopers, Mesa said he drove Berry away from the altercation with Mesa’s cousin. Mesa told troopers Berry had a weapon and was intoxicated and sad about the death of his brother days before. Mesa told troopers he helped Berry sell his truck, and then Berry walked to an unknown location. State prosecutors say phone records are inconsistent with Mesa’s story.
Troopers later found Berry’s body in a Connex container buried near a bus in which Mesa lived. State prosecutors say Mesa evaded in-person contact with law enforcement until he was arrested in August. State troopers asked for the public’s help locating Mesa in mid-June.
Troopers responded to reports of a cabin burglary and several days later pursued Mesa after seeing him driving a vehicle. State prosecutors say Mesa drove the vehicle, filled with items consistent with off-grid living, into a ditch and fled on foot. Troopers also received a phone containing waypoints to and from the burglarized cabin and user accounts for Mesa.
According to the grand jury indictment, law enforcement officials have executed more than 50 search warrants while investigating Berry’s death.
Mesa pleaded not guilty during an initial court appearance Friday in Kenai. A Superior Court Lance Joanis set Mesa’s bail at $1 million, including half-million cash performance and appearance bonds.
Mesa is represented by a public defender and is next scheduled to appear in court in October. The public defender’s office in Kenai did not respond to a request for comment.
