Mayor of Alaska's capital city found dead in his home

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Alaska mystery: Mayor of capital city found dead in his home

Newly elected official Greg Fisk discovered by unidentified man

The mayor of Juneau, Alaska's capital, was found dead in his home Monday less than than two months after he was elected.

Juneau police said in a brief statement that Greg Fisk, 70, was pronounced dead at the scene. An addendum to the statement confirmed that Fisk's adult son Ian had reported finding his father's body at 3:34 p.m. local time (7:34 p.m. EST).

Police said an investigation into Fisk's death was under way, and initially called reports that the mayor had been assaulted "speculation." However, Juneau Police Department chief Bryce Johnson told The Juneau Empire that it was "one of the possibilities out there."

The Empire reported that neighbors didn't hear any disturbance indicative of an assault. Don and Janet Kussart told the Empire they hadn’t seen Fisk all day Monday, and his son arrived at the home after Fisk failed to answer the phone.

KTOO reported that at one point Monday night, police were seen inside Fisk's home with flashlights.

Fisk was elected mayor of Juneau on Oct. 6, defeating incumbent Merrill Sanford by a 2-to-1 margin. Prior to entering politics, he had worked as a self-employed consultant for area fisheries.

"It's a devastating event. He was a great person and he will be missed," Mary Becker, the city's deputy mayor, told Reuters. Becker said she would take over as acting mayor while the city attorney advises on succession protocols. Fisk was due to serve as mayor until 2018.

Juneau, located in Alaska's southeastern panhandle, has a population of approximately 32,000 and is Alaska's second-most populous city after Anchorage.

In additon to his son, Fisk is survived by his grandson Kai.

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