Christopher Popps may have made a critical miscalculation when he decided to contact Alaska authorities in January 2025. The Michigan resident, now 54, called in what he thought would be an anonymous tip revealing the location of Patrick Dearth's remains, according to state police. Instead, the call set in motion events that led to his arrest and a murder charge for a killing that had gone unsolved for more than three decades.
Dearth, 34, vanished from Fairbanks in November 1993. For decades, his disappearance remained a mystery. When Popps called authorities earlier this year, he allegedly disclosed not only where Dearth's body was hidden but also took responsibility for his disappearance. Investigators quickly determined the tipster's identity.
In May 2025, police discovered Dearth's remains inside a barrel at the bottom of a steep highway embankment, exactly where Popps had directed them. The remains were later confirmed through investigation.
Popps and Dearth had worked together at an auto shop in Fairbanks. According to state police, Popps allegedly shot Dearth during an altercation at the workplace.
The delay between the January tip and the May discovery reflected the practical realities of searching in Alaska's remote terrain during winter. Heavy snow covered the area when Popps made his call, and the extended darkness of the season complicated search efforts. Police waited approximately four months until conditions improved before locating the barrel.
State police indicated that Popps had provided multiple anonymous tips to law enforcement agencies in Alaska regarding his role in Dearth's disappearance. The motivation behind these calls remained unclear to investigators.
A Fairbanks grand jury issued an indictment charging Popps with second-degree murder on June 25. He was living in Battle Creek, Michigan at the time. State police in Michigan arrested him on July 16 and booked him into the Kalamazoo County jail.
Popps remained held without bond pending transfer to Alaska custody. If convicted, he faces between 10 and 99 years in prison under Alaska law. Dearth's family was notified of the arrest.
Author James Rodriguez: "A suspect essentially solving his own case by trying to play anonymous informant is the kind of miscalculation that puts murderers in prison."
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