St. Michael man charged with murder in girlfriend’s death

Leroy Kobuk Sr., 47, was charged with first and second degree murder after allegedly killing his girlfriend Michaeline Snowball, 43.
On August 17 troopers responded to a report of a deceased woman in St. Michael. According to a trooper dispatch, Michaeline Snowball of St. Michael appeared to have sustained serious physical injuries due to an assault on August 16. Investigators with the Alaska Bureau of Investigations took over the investigation and arrived in St. Michael on August 17.
They arrested Leroy Kobuk Sr. on August 18 and charged him with murder in the first degree and murder in the second degree.
Kobuk was taken to Nome and is in custody at Anvil Mountain Correctional, with bail set at $500,000 plus a third party custodian.
According to charging documents, Snowball was assaulted by her boyfriend Kobuk in the late evening hours on August 16. According to an eyewitness, Michaeline Snowball was seen walking to her mother’s house, “writhing in pain.” Snowball was taken to the St. Michael clinic, treated and released in the early morning hours. She was dropped off at her mother’s house. Later that morning, Michaeline was found unresponsive. Emergency medical personnel responded, performed CPR on the patient and then took her to the clinic.
She was pronounced deceased at 11:57 a.m. at the clinic.
According to charging documents, alcohol was involved. In text communications, Kobuk had threatened Snowball to kill her if she didn’t give him $200.
Kobuk was arraigned on August 19 at the Unalakleet courthouse. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 29, also in Unalakleet.
Next of kin has been notified. The investigation is ongoing.