HOMER, AK – Anesha “Duffy” Murnane’s disappearance haunted a tight-knit coastal community along Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula for years, stirring both fear and mourning. Now, with the recent admission of guilt from a former assisted living worker, long-whispered suspicions have given way to grim confirmation.
Kirby Calderwood, 36, entered a guilty plea to second-degree murder in the case that has transfixed Homer since 2019. The admission comes nearly five years after Murnane, 38, vanished without a trace from her supportive housing complex, her absence quickly sparking an outpouring of concern throughout the town. In exchange for Calderwood’s plea, prosecutors agreed to drop several other severe charges, including first-degree murder, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, and sexual assault.
On October 17, 2019, Murnane, who was known to struggle with bipolar disorder, walked out of the Main Tree Housing complex for the last time. Her sudden disappearance triggered exhaustive searches by local police, firefighters and volunteers desperate for answers. Yet, despite the communal effort, authorities never recovered her body. For years, Murnane’s fate remained an agonizing question mark.
A pivotal development came in 2022, when a tip received by police painted a chilling portrait of the case’s possible perpetrator and the fate that befell the missing woman. Investigators soon learned that Calderwood, who had crossed paths with Murnane during his employment at Main Tree Housing, appeared to have planned her abduction.
According to court documents, Calderwood lured Murnane into his vehicle under a seemingly innocent pretense, then led her into an empty residence belonging to his then-girlfriend. There, the crime unfolded with calculated cruelty, ending in a secret disposal of Murnane’s body in a dank crawl space hidden from the world. Calderwood then relocated to Utah, as authorities continued their search in Alaska.
Key evidence emerged during the investigation in Utah. Police, acting on newly obtained warrants, searched Calderwood’s home and discovered a black-banded Timex watch tucked away in his dresser. Investigators matched the timepiece to images of Murnane, as well as descriptions by her family. The watch’s appearance and features closely resembled items detailed in investigative tips. Adjacent to the drawer where the watch was stashed, officers found a flyer bearing Murnane’s face—a stark reminder of the mystery that once shrouded the case.
Back in Alaska, the main break came when DNA evidence retrieved from the crawl space confirmed that Murnane had been there, solidifying suspicions that the house played a central role in her disappearance.
Over the course of the three-year inquiry, police processed hundreds of leads, many circling back to Calderwood. Several individuals, once romantically involved with him, reported disturbing behavior, including accusations of sexual violence and cruelty that reportedly dated back to his youth. These accounts, detailed in court filings, painted a picture of a man with a dark and violent history, fueling further suspicion into his involvement in the disappearance.
One tipster described how Calderwood confessed to searching for his victim, ultimately finding and persuading her to accompany him—setting in motion the chain of events that would seal Murnane’s fate. After the killing, Calderwood reportedly discarded her cellphone in a nearby lake before hiding her remains and fleeing the state.
Calderwood is currently awaiting sentencing, scheduled for July 1. Under the terms of the plea agreement, he faces a 99-year sentence with 12 years suspended, effectively ending a saga that left a lasting scar on Homer and the surrounding region. Even as justice moves forward, Murnane’s family and community continue to seek closure after years of heartbreak and uncertainty.