HOMER, AK – The disappearance of Anesha “Duffy” Murnane left a quiet Alaska community searching for answers for nearly three years, as friends and family grappled with heartbreak and uncertainty. Now, after years of unanswered questions, the man responsible for her death has pleaded guilty to murder.
Murnane, 38, was last seen on October 17, 2019, after she left her residence at Main Tree Housing in Homer, where she lived independently while managing bipolar disorder. When she did not return home, panic swiftly spread among those who knew her. The outpouring of concern spurred local residents, law enforcement, and firefighters to join forces in an exhaustive search. Despite their efforts, no trace of Murnane was found.
The case went cold until 2022, when investigators received a tip implicating Kirby Calderwood, 36, a former employee at Murnane’s assisted living facility. Calderwood’s connection to the victim and his troubling past pointed police in a new direction. As authorities dug further, they discovered Calderwood had relocated to Utah after the crime.
Investigators revealed that Calderwood lured Murnane to his then-girlfriend’s unoccupied house after offering her a ride. After gaining Murnane’s trust, Calderwood brought her inside on the pretext of retrieving a phone charger. Once inside, Murnane was tortured and killed. Her phone was discarded in a lake, and her remains were hidden in a crawl space before being moved to an unknown location. Though her body has never been recovered, police found crucial DNA evidence linking her to the crime scene.
Among the evidence collected in Utah was a black ladies’ Timex wristwatch that matched descriptions of one Murnane regularly wore. The item, discovered in Calderwood’s dresser, appeared to be a chilling trophy from the crime. Investigators also found a missing-person flyer for Murnane placed beside the watch.
The break in the case came from a Crime Stoppers tip that included information only someone close to the killer—or the killer himself—could have known. According to court documents, Calderwood’s estranged wife told police he admitted to murdering Murnane and hiding her body.
During the course of the investigation, detectives gathered dozens of tips and followed leads that painted a disturbing portrait of Calderwood. Several women who previously dated Calderwood accused him of sexual violence and cruelty to animals, laying bare a history of troubling behavior that stretched back to his youth.
While charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, manslaughter, and sexual assault were dropped in exchange for Calderwood’s guilty plea to second-degree murder, the plea agreement recommended a 99-year sentence, with 12 years suspended. Calderwood is scheduled for sentencing on July 1.
The murder of Anesha Murnane continues to cast a long shadow over Homer, especially for her family and those who searched for her. Despite the conviction, the pain of never recovering her remains leaves loved ones with lasting grief—and a community, once again, reminded of the terrible loss.