A 20-year-old Alaskan man, Shaquille Carawan, has been arrested and charged with the murder of two teenage girls, Novely Rivers and Abigail Olson, both 18. The girls’ bodies were discovered under suspicious circumstances earlier this month, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. Carawan faces multiple charges, including two counts each of first and second-degree murder, tampering with evidence, misconduct involving a controlled substance, and providing alcohol to minors in a community where alcohol is prohibited.
The exact details surrounding the murders have not been disclosed by law enforcement. However, it was revealed that the girls were killed violently. The bodies of Rivers and Olson were found in a residence in Hooper Bay, a small town on Alaska’s southwestern coast, on the morning of October 2. The state medical examiner’s office concluded that the teenagers died from multiple knife injuries.
In the aftermath of the discovery, state troopers sought assistance from the public, with the City of Hooper Bay and the Native Village of Hooper Bay offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those responsible for the deaths. The authorities emphasized their interest in first-hand information about the crime. While it remains unclear if a tipster played a role in the charges against Carawan, a subsequent press release acknowledged that local tips and information aided the investigation.
Investigators linked Carawan to the victims through text messages, which suggested that he had arranged to supply Rivers and Olson with marijuana and home-brewed alcohol on the day they were killed. A second warrant was obtained to search Carawan’s residence after confirming the registration of the other phone number involved. At Carawan’s residence, investigators found evidence related to the murders, including shoes with blood in the treads and a knife hidden between a refrigerator and a wall, which matched other evidence found at the crime scene.
Carawan reportedly confessed to the murders and was arrested. During a hearing, a judge found probable cause to keep him in custody. The court set bail at $1.5 million and ordered Carawan to have no contact with the victims’ families. He is currently being held at the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center and is scheduled to appear in court again on October 17.
A GoFundMe page was set up to remember Rivers and Olson. The page describes the girls as “two radiant young souls taken from us far too soon” and “extraordinary lives [that] inspired countless hearts.” The prosecutor expressed concern for the safety of the community and requested a significant monetary posting to keep Carawan in custody.