Man shot and killed pregnant woman and toddler before Anchorage duplex fire, police say

A 46-year-old man fatally shot a pregnant woman and a 2-year-old girl in an East Anchorage duplex earlier this month before the building was set on fire, police said Thursday.

The May 12 fire was immediately investigated by the Anchorage Fire Department and police.

Firefighters were called to the 2600 block of Easthaven Circle around 2:35 p.m., fire officials said at the time. Two people were found dead inside the home, and a third person was found dead the next day, police said in a statement released Thursday.

During the fire department's investigation, detectives determined that Esteban Pope shot a 32-year-old pregnant woman and a 2-year-old girl before killing himself, police said. The woman was seven months pregnant, police said.

Police said the crime was related to domestic violence and did not name the woman or girl. A ministry spokeswoman did not respond to further questions, including how they might have been linked.

Police said the fire appeared to have been set intentionally, but a spokeswoman did not respond to questions asking whether Pope was suspected of starting the fire.

A person was believed to be inside the unit next door to the duplex when the fire broke out and was displaced from their home, a fire department spokeswoman said at the time.