John Pezzenti Jr. was, by all accounts, a beloved and accomplished man throughout his life. Though born in Connecticut, he was seduced by the breathtaking landscapes of Alaska from an early age, and moved there in 1976, when he was twenty-four years old.
He worked on the Valdez pipeline for a time, and even owned a lodge called the Kenai Lake Lodge for many years. He eventually settled down in Bear Valley in Anchorage, where he began making a name for himself as a wildlife photographer.
John’s photos appeared in National Geographic, Alaska Magazine, Reader’s Digest, and a host of other publications, and even hung in the White House. He also published three successful books of his images. A popular speaker, John gave lectures at the Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian, and often appeared on radio talk shows, discussing the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness.
Tragically, however, the life of this extraordinary man who wanted nothing more than to share the beauty of his adopted state with the world at large was cut short in a brutal and senseless fashion.
On December 3rd, 2007, the fifty-five-year-old was found shot dead in his home. Authorities were completely baffled as to the motive, and still have no solid suspects, more than a decade after the crime occurred. The murder was featured twice on America’s Most Wanted, but as of this writing, it remains unsolved.
Crime Immemorial 