ANCHORAGE, AK – A jury has found Sarah Dayan, 39, guilty of the murder of her court-appointed supervisor, Keith Huss, 57, as well as burglary and theft, according to an announcement from the Alaska Department of Law. The verdict was reached after just a day and a half of deliberations. Dayan is set to be sentenced on May 6, 2025.

The jurors accepted a “heat of passion” defense for one count of first-degree murder and a count of second-degree murder. However, this defense did not apply to another second-degree murder charge.

Michael Huss, Keith’s brother, expressed a measure of relief following the verdict, saying the pursuit of justice had weighed heavily on the family since his brother’s death.

Dayan’s criminal entanglement with Huss began when she was released on bail on September 28, 2020, from the Wildwood Correctional Complex. As part of her release conditions, Huss was appointed to supervise her. The two planned to travel to Anchorage to work at Huss’s food truck.

However, events took a deadly turn when Dayan acquired a .45 caliber handgun shortly after leaving jail. Authorities discovered Huss’s body the following day at Turnagain Pass Rest Area. He had been shot four times and was also struck by a vehicle. Investigators quickly identified Dayan as the suspect.

Damage to Dayan’s vehicle supported the claim that it had been used to hit Huss. Furthermore, financial records showed that Dayan accessed Huss’s bank account posthumously, using it for personal purchases and transferring money into her account. Dayan’s trail of criminal activity included vehicle thefts and a cabin burglary in Seward while evading capture.

Following a swift investigation, Dayan was apprehended in Seward on October 1, 2020. Her impending sentencing could see her imprisoned for a term ranging from 15 to 99 years, with the murder charges to be consolidated.

As the community awaits Dayan’s sentencing, the verdict has offered a sense of justice for the tragic loss of Keith Huss.