Troopers: Handcuffed Seward man, subject of 6-day manhunt, found after public tip

SEWARD, Alaska (KTUU) — Following a nearly weeklong manhunt, Alaska State Troopers say a public tip led them to find a man who fled in handcuffs after they say he tried to take a woman’s gun following threats she was going to kill herself.

Authorities said 55-year-old Danny Lowry Jr. has been charged with one count of fourth-degree escape.

Alaska State Troopers spokesperson Austin McDaniel told Alaska’s News Source last week that first responders were focused on caring for 51-year-old Billie Cubley after she was shot when they detained two men, including Lowry, in the early morning hours of Sept. 25.

Cubley later died at a Seward hospital.

“We didn’t see Danny [Lowry] leave, because the law enforcement officers were focused on trying to save the female’s life. That was their primary focus at that moment in time,” McDaniel said in a previous interview.

Authorities initially told the public that Lowry was a “person of interest” in the Seward area, and asked the public to contact them if he was seen.

Lowry was not found until Tuesday.

Troopers said they initially responded to a home near Balmat Street and Old Nash Road around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday to find Cubley unconscious after being shot in the abdomen.

Lowry and one other man were at the scene when officers arrived, both were handcuffed and detained in an open area. The second man remained at the scene and was released.

Troopers said Lowry had a gun, but the firearm was taken from him before he escaped.

After Lowry’s escape law enforcement activated the southern and southcentral SWAT teams, and began a coordinated manhunt involving other Kenai Peninsula law enforcement.

“We are not looking at this point as Danny as a suspect in a murder in any way,” McDaniel said the day after the incident. “We are looking to speak with him about what occurred that day, as well as address why he ran after being detained by the Alaska State Troopers.”

Based on a preliminary investigation, troopers said they believe Cubley may have threatened to shoot herself and was hit by a bullet when the gun went off while Lowry attempted to take the gun.

“They’ve determined that this was likely an accidental shooting was not [an] intentional murder,” McDaniel said.

The Alaska Bureau of Investigations has not yet concluded its investigation.

Troopers say charges for one count of fourth-degree escape have been referred to the District Attorney’s Office.

Copyright 2024 KTUU. All rights reserved.