25-year-old Mickee Thompson of Anchorage was sentenced on Jan. 10, 2025, by Anchorage Superior Court Judge Peter Ramgren for the murder of Sosaia Finau on April 12, 2018. Thompson was convicted of First-Degree Murder by an Anchorage jury in February 2024.
At trial, the evidence showed that Thompson and Robert Smith showed up uninvited at the apartment of Thompson’s former girlfriend who had begun seeing Finau. Thompson and Smith left without incident but returned to the apartment to retrieve Thompson’s son. After a verbal dispute over car keys, Thompson fired his 9 mm firearm 17 times at Finau. As Thompson was leaving the apartment, Smith entered and fired seven more shots at Finau.
Finau died as a result of his injuries before police arrived minutes later.
The State argued that Thompson intentionally killed Finau while Thompson claimed he acted in self-defense and that Smith was the cause of Finau’s death. The jury rejected Thompson’s argument.
At sentencing, evidence was presented regarding Thompson’s difficult upbringing and history of domestic violence that he had engaged in before the murder.
Finau’s mother gave an emotional victim impact statement in which she forgave Thompson, noting that “it’s tough being a mom” and recognizing how their families have “grief bonded” over the incident.
Judge Ramgren, who presided over the 2024 jury trial, stated that his understanding of what happened on April 12, 2018, was consistent with the jury’s verdict. He recognized that Thompson intentionally killed Finau, and there was nothing anyone could do to bring him back.
The judge also recognized that while this was not a domestic violence offense, it was domestic violence adjacent circumstances. He determined that Thompson was a danger to the public and that community condemnation required a lengthy sentence of imprisonment.
Judge Ramgren also noted that Thompson was young at the time of the murder but had guarded prospects for rehabilitation based on his conduct before the incident and while incarcerated.
The State requested the court impose a sentence of 95 years with 20 years suspended, whereas Thompson requested the court impose a sentence of 85 years with 55 years suspended.
Judge Ramgren imposed an 85-year sentence with 20 years suspended, followed by 5 years of supervised felony probation.
Currently, Thompson is in the custody of the Alaska Department of Corrections.