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By Rose Hooper
A former Jackson County prisoner entered a not guilty plea Dec.
18 in Jefferson County Circuit Court in Wisconsin.
Derek Anderson, 34, pleaded not guilty to first-degree intentional
homicide in the death of his father 55-year-old father, Allen
Krnak, whose remains were found in the Moses Creek section of
Caney Fork in December 1999.
Jurisdiction in this case has shifted from Jackson County to Jefferson
County.
When he was arrested in February 2001 at a Milwaukee halfway house,
Anderson fought extradition to North Carolina where the Jackson
County Sheriff's Office had charged him with first-degree murder.
Anderson appealed his extradition to North Carolina on numerous
fronts, both state and federal, but was transported to Jackson
County in December 2002 and remained here until Sept. 4.
North Carolina dropped murder charges against Anderson Aug. 19
after Wisconsin District Attorney David Wambach filed similar
charges in that state.
"After long and careful consideration I decided that there
is insufficient evidence that the murder of Allen Krnak occurred
in North Carolina and, as a result, North Carolina does not have
jurisdiction of this case," local District Attorney Mike
Bonfoey said in August.
Anderson did not fight extradition back to Jefferson County and
on Sept. 4 detectives from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
picked up Anderson at the Jackson County Jail and returned him
to Wisconsin.
Unlike North Carolina, Wisconsin does not have a death penalty.
Allen Krnak, his wife, Donna, 52, younger son, Thomas, 21, and
family dog, Hunter, all disappeared in Wisconsin in early July
1998. They left their home in Helenville, Wisc., July 2 of that
year on the way to their log cabin in Colma, Wisc., but they never
arrived. Their empty truck was found on a public hunting ground
near Reedsburg, Wisc.
Derek Anderson was living in Wisconsin at the time and was the
last person seen with his father, mother and brother, Bonfoey
said.
"This is a Wisconsin tragedy. It is suspected by Wisconsin
authorities that foul play took place in Wisconsin.
All the suspicious circumstances indicating foul play occurred
in Wisconsin. The witnesses are all from Wisconsin. The accused
is from Wisconsin. The defendant is a Wisconsin resident and should
be tried in Wisconsin," Bonfoey said.
Anderson changed his name from Andrew Krnak just days after his
family disappeared. A 1994 graduate of Western Carolina University,
he had lived on campus in Reynolds Dorm and off campus in Alpine
Apartments in Cullowhee.
At the time of his indictment, Jackson County investigators said
they had evidence placing Anderson most recently in Western North
Carolina in 1998.
Moses Creek, where hunters found the remains of Allen Krnak's
body, is approximately 10 miles from campus. Remains, presumed
to be that of the family's cocker spaniel, were found near the
body.
An autopsy revealed that Allen Krnak was killed by a blow to the
left side of his face and head that broke his jaw in two places.
Anderson's mother and brother are still missing.
Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe has said he will cooperate fully
with the Wisconsin authorities in Anderson's prosecution.
Anderson remains in the Jefferson County Jail in lieu of $3 million
bail. Jefferson County Judge William Hue has ordered Anderson
have no contact with any family member.
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