Embattled former Alaska legislator’s son charged in killing of father, court documents show

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - A man killed Saturday morning at a Taku neighborhood residence has been confirmed to be Dean Westlake, a former state legislator from Kiana who resigned from office in 2017 over allegations of sexual harassment involving a minor.

According to court documents filed by the Department of Law, Westlake was found dead by Anchorage Fire Department medics after a call was placed to Anchorage police just before 7 a.m. Saturday. Officers with the Anchorage Police Department spoke to Tallon Westlake, 36, at the residence on Rovenna Street.

While there, officers described seeing blood marks on hallway walls, as well as on Dean Westlake’s hands and feet and Tallon Westlake’s clothing. The documents also say officers described parts of Westlake’s body as being “pummeled.”

Officers also described a bleach smell in the residence, with the floor appearing to be recently cleaned and a mop found in the bathtub. Police noted a blue sedan belonging to Tallon parked in the driveway with what appeared to be a bloody towel inside.

Police detectives used a tax property search to find the owner of the residence was Dean’s girlfriend, Julie, who was visiting family in New York. According to documents, Julie told detectives that Dean has traveled to Anchorage from Fairbanks with plans to evict his son, who was living at the Rovenna Street residence. Julie said Tallon had not paid rent in four months and was given a 30-day eviction notice.

Detectives said in the documents that a neighbor across the street overheard a heated argument around “2 or 2:30″ that morning.

However, Chris Harison who lives across the street said he did not hear anything the night before. It was not until police knocked at his door the next morning that he heard about the incident.

“It’s been relatively quiet in this neighborhood, which is what I loved about it you know and everything,” Harison said. “Answering the door to a detective which, talking about something that happened the night before it’s just, it shocks you. You don’t ever expect it to happen in your neighborhood.”

Harison just moved into the neighborhood a month ago and described the area as a quite neighborhood, two blocks away from a school. Now, this weekend’s events have him feeling uneasy.

“Even though they said it was an isolated incident, you just never know anymore. I mean the whole randomness of everything going on today, it’s just, it’s so crazy,” Harison said.

His once quiet neighborhood is now a place he feels different about.

“It makes you feel vulnerable,” Harison said. “I’m sure the community is on edge not knowing. I don’t know, it’s scary.”

According to a police alert posted Sunday, Tallon Westlake has been charged with manslaughter and tampering with evidence.

Dean Westlake won office in the state legislature in 2016, but resigned in December 2017 while serving due to revelations that he fathered a child with an underage girl in 1988.

According to previous reporting, Westlake was accused of fathering a child with a 16-year-old girl when he was 28.

This article has been updated with additional information.

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