Inset: Matthew Becker (Anchorage Police Department). Background: The Alaska business where Matthew Becker opened fire on his ex-wife with a pistol (Arizona”s Family).
A man from Arizona, recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, embarked on a journey to Alaska with the intention of killing his ex-wife. Authorities report that he hid outside the hair salon she owns and opened fire as she tried to enter. Tragically, he also killed her father before his own death the following day.
Matthew Becker, a 61-year-old comedian and owner of a comedy club, faced charges of first-degree murder and third-degree assault connected to Saturday’s attacks on his ex-wife and her father, 87-year-old Romaine Clark, during a shooting spree in Anchorage. Becker was discovered dead the next day “in the woods” in Eagle River, as confirmed by a police press release.
The exact circumstances of Becker’s death remain unknown. His brother informed local Alaska media that Becker had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer, according to the Arizona’s Family news collective, although the timing of the diagnosis is not specified.
A criminal complaint obtained by NBC affiliate KTUU details the events leading up to Becker’s attempt on his ex-wife’s life. According to the complaint, the ex-wife called Anchorage Police, stating that Becker “had just tried to shoot her.”
By the time law enforcement arrived at the scene, Becker had already fled.
The ex-wife recounted to police that she parked her car in front of her salon, only to find Becker in a Nissan Altima parked right next to her vehicle, as detailed in the complaint.
“[The woman] advised she began walking toward the entrance of the building to unlock the door,” the complaint explains. “As she passed the Silver Altima she observed the driver, Becker, seated in the driver’s seat. [The woman] advised she was unaware her ex-husband was in state as he moved to Arizona after their divorce.”
As she got to the door to her salon, the woman attempted to unlock it “but believed it had been tampered with as her key would not go into the lock,” according to the complaint. Becker exited the vehicle and began walking toward the woman.
“As Becker advanced toward her, she backed away,” the complaint says. “Becker utilized a pistol and began firing multiple shots at her as she ran from him in fear of losing her life.”
The woman ran away from her business toward an area where several other businesses were located. She hid until Becker left in the Altima, and then she called police.
The woman told authorities she was worried about her father, who lived with her in Airport Heights, being targeted as well. When cops went to check on him, Clark was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
Police believe Becker went directly to the woman’s house after the encounter with her at the salon and shot Clark through a plate-glass window at the rear of the residence.
Friends who were waiting to meet up with the octogenarian were the first to discover Clark after they showed up for a planned outing, according to the complaint.
Becker’s brother told KTUU that he had been living in Arizona since the couple divorced in 2020. He owned a comedy club called Chuckleheads in Bisbee and there are videos online showing Becker doing stand-up.
Police have not released a cause of death for him yet.
