ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – An Anchorage nurse practitioner, Kris Kile, was found guilty Friday of multiple counts of misconduct involving controlled substances, including fentanyl, oxycodone, and meperidine. The charges stem from a long-running case that once included allegations of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide tied to the 2015 death of 22-year-old Courtney Jones.
Kile’s trial, which faced multiple delays over the years, concluded with a jury convicting her on all but one count of drug-related charges. The original 18-count indictment, issued on March 6, 2020, included manslaughter and more than a dozen charges involving the illegal distribution of prescription opioids.
The most serious charges were dismissed, however, after a judge ruled that key forensic evidence—including blood and tissue samples from the victim—had been destroyed by Anchorage police and external labs. The court found that although the destruction was not in bad faith, it violated Kile’s right to a fair defense.
According to court documents, samples were sent for testing but were discarded in 2016, likely due to lab retention policies, and no action was taken to preserve them. Former prosecutor James Fayette acknowledged that the suppression of this evidence significantly affected the case’s outcome.
While Kile is no longer facing homicide charges, she was convicted of second- and third-degree misconduct involving controlled substances. Sentencing is scheduled for October.
Following the dismissal of the more serious charges, Kile contacted Alaska’s News Source, stating the case was “built on false pretenses.” In an email, she wrote:
“This case isn’t just about me. It’s about every provider who could be criminalized for doing their job. And every citizen who thinks the State should be held accountable.”
