This week marks six months since 42-year-old Juneau resident Benjamin “Benny” Stepetin was last seen in downtown Juneau.
His brother, Martin Stepetin Sr., said his family and friends haven’t stopped looking for him even during the holidays.
“We just don’t want his memory to fade, or anybody to think that we’re giving up searching for him at all — because we’re not,” he said. “We’re still doing everything we can to still try to find what happened to my brother.”
Police listed Benjamin as a missing person after he was last seen in Juneau on June 22 in the downtown area. Benjamin is Alaska Native, about 5 feet, 6 inches tall and has brown eyes. Before he went missing, he often frequented the downtown area and had been homeless for roughly two years.
Following his disappearance, his family raised over $25,000 to fund a robust search effort and paid for divers to search the Gastineau Channel in September. Martin believes his brother may have fallen or been pushed into the water.
And, though Martin said the divers didn’t find any signs of Benjamin then, the family is working with the Juneau Police Department in hopes of getting divers into the water for another search soon.
Juneau Police Deputy Chief Krag Campbell said detectives are still actively investigating the case and encourage anyone with information about Benjamin’s disappearance to contact the department.
Campbell said the department believes there may have been people involved in Benjamin’s disappearance who aren’t coming forward.
“It is being investigated as more than just a missing person’s case, but also a missing person’s case with a criminal aspect to it,” he said.
People can share information by calling JPD’s dispatch line at 907-586-0600 or submitting an anonymous tip through Juneau Crimeline.
