Steven Downs was convicted on circumstantial evidence, say his lawyers, who are asking for acquittal or a new trial. They filed a motion in Fairbanks Superior Court last week. It is attached here.

A Fairbanks jury convicted Steven H. Downs, 47 guilty of raping and killing Sophie Sergie in a dormitory bathroom in 1993.This story will be updated.

Law enforcement officers who arrested Steven Downs for the 1993 rape and murder of Sophie Sergie, testified at Downs’s trial in Fairbanks Wednesday, February 2. Downs was a University of Alaska Fairbanks student who lived in the UAF dorm where Sergie’s body was found. This story talks of violence and might be traumatizing to some listeners.

Some of the stories from the Sophie Sergie murder trial are potentially traumatizing to listeners. Former state medical examiner notes details in 1993 report

Katherine deSchweinitz, now Katherine deSchweinitz Lee, dated and lived with Steven Downs over her time at UAF in the 1990s

Alaska State Troopers testify in cold case murder trial how they tried to interview students during finals week. This story talks of violence and might be traumatizing to some listeners.