Kriti Mehrotra
Investigation Discovery’s ‘Lost Women of Alaska’ is a documentary series delving deep into the way The Last Frontier has almost become a hunting ground for killers and predators alike. It even places a special focus on the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) by chronicling the homicides of Veronica Abouchuk (2018) and Kathleen Jo Henry (2019). They were both heinously killed at the hands of a South African native by the name of Brian Steven Smith, who had immigrated upon tying the knot with a local named Stephanie Bissland.
Stephanie Bissland is an Alaskan Native With a Passion for the Arts
Stephanie Bissland is a lifelong native of Southeast-Southcentral Alaska. She attended Rumson-Fairhaven Regional High School and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School before graduating from Juneau-Douglas High School with a desire to pursue further studies. She did so by enrolling in a junior college to earn a certificate in Retail Merchandising, after which she earned a Bachelor’s degree in European History from the University of Alaska in 1975. Stephanie kick-started her career not long after, albeit not in a traditional field — she decided to pursue her passion by getting into acting and music. Whether it was performing at a local church, taking on roles as an extra in film and television, doing voice-overs, landing theater roles, or singing/playing guitar for live radio shows, she did it all over the years.
Moreover, Stephanie did them while taking on additional jobs to make ends meet, including as an Employee Relations Specialist at the Bureau of Land Management from 1983 to 1987. She served as an Administrative Officer at ICE from 1992 to 2005, a Board Member of the Alaska Scottish Club from 1999 to 2005, and a Secretary of the Celtic Community of Alaska from 1999 to 2010. She even worked as a Guest Service Host at Holland America/Princess Lines for a few months in 2009, all the while volunteering at Anchorage Community Theater from 2005 to 2010 and being a Freelance Writer/Editor from 2006 to 2010. Then, despite having formally retired in 2005 due to her age, she served as Treasurer at St. Mark Lutheran Church from 2006 to 2010 and continued to hone her love for acting, music, as well as performing.
Stephanie Bissland’s Love For Brian Steven Smith Transcends Everything
Stephanie first came across South African native Brian Steven Smith through an online game in 2013. They gradually developed a special connection wherein they spoke every day. There was a significant age gap with her being almost 2 decades older, yet the attraction as well as chemistry between them was so unwavering that it soon transformed into a romance. In fact, as per her accounts in the original, he proposed to her with a ring on a video call before they had even met in person, and she happily said yes before finally booking a flight to go see him.
Stephanie and Brian’s love solidified during her trip to his homeland, shortly following which they joyously tied the knot at her church and chose to settle down in her base of Anchorage, Alaska. She has since claimed he was a very affectionate person who would often pick her up and spin her around while saying “My wifey,” so they had three incredible years together. She said, “All of a sudden, everything was changed, and then it was very bad… He knew I was getting sick, and I don’t think he could take it.” She had been diagnosed with Aphasia, which is a neurological language disorder that affects how one communicates.
Stephanie knew her husband relied a lot on drinking and had even started going out a lot, which admittedly bothered her because there were times he didn’t come home at night. However, she never expected him to be a killer — she vehemently maintains he never told her anything about his crimes or what he did apart from work or hunting with friends while he was away. Nevertheless, she stood by him after he was arrested in October 2019 for the murders of two native women, following which he also became a possible suspect in the disappearance/death of another.
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Still Married, Stephanie Bissland Prefers to Lead a Quiet Life Today
When Brian stood trial for the charges against him in connection with the 2018 murder of Veronica Abouchuk and the 2019 homicide of Kathleen Jo Henry in 2024, Stephanie was in court to support him. One day, she even wore a plum-colored sweater that she said her husband had bought for her as she listened to the testimony of a detective who claimed he had heard a jail call between the couple. According to him, the actress/musician had asked her husband if he had slept with the women he killed, to which he had responded, “Not with those two,” but the judge ruled that these statements were to be discarded as they were personal.
Stephanie had stood by Brian through the initial investigations, searches of their home, and the early 2024 trial, so it’s no surprise that she remains devoted to him after his conviction. She has since claimed her husband fell into a dark place at the time of the crimes because she knew him as nothing but a doting man who took care of her, handcrafted a ukulele for her, and built her a greenhouse. The 75-year-old has also indicated that while she regrets what transpired and sympathizes with the victim as well as their families, divorce is not in the cards for her because she meant her vows.
