A woman was killed on Wednesday morning after a dispute in Seward, and the man believed to be responsible for her death escaped police custody.
Just before 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, the Alaska State Troopers and Seward Police Department responded to the area of Balmat Street and Old Nash Road in Seward for reports that a female was unconscious after potentially being shot. Two adult males, including 55-year-old Seward resident Danny Lowry Jr., were detained by responding law enforcement while officers provided emergency first-aid care to 51-year-old Seward resident Billie Cubley.
A firearm was recovered from Lowry as he was being detained. As law enforcement officers were providing first aid care to Cubley, Lowry escaped detainment and fled the area on foot. Law enforcement officers were not immediately able to locate Lowry, and a coordinated manhunt was initiated consisting of the Southern AST SWAT Team, Southcentral AST SWAT Team, and other Kenai-Peninsula area law enforcement officers.
Exhaustive search efforts for Lowry have been unsuccessful, and the SWAT Teams have demobilized from the Seward area while local law enforcement continues to search areas of interest for Lowry.
Cubley was declared deceased at a Seward area hospital after receiving a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Due to the circumstances, the Alaska Bureau of Investigation responded and began a thorough murder investigation into Cubley’s death. Based on their preliminary investigation, Troopers have determined that Cubley was likely struck by the bullet while Lowry was attempting to take the gun from Cubley after she threatened to shoot herself.
It is unclear why Lowry fled the scene after being detained by responding law enforcement. An Escape in the Fourth Degree arrest warrant has been requested for Lowry.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Cubley’s next of kin have been notified, and her body will be sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy.
Anyone with information about Danny Lowry’s location should contact the Alaska State Troopers at (907) 262-4453. We appreciate all of the public’s assistance during our search and investigation throughout the day.
