Jennifer Kirk + Sue Sue Norton Part 2

Two years after Jennifer Kirk was found dead on former mayor Clement Richards Sr.’s property, another woman was discovered at that same address: 30-year-old Susanna “Sue Sue” Norton, who was in a relationship with one of Richard’s sons. To this day, no one has been charged in connection to her murder.

Today’s episode examines how this could happen again on the same property, the questions still surrounding Sue Sue’s death, and the deeply broken systems that continue to fail Indigenous women and girls across Alaska.

Please be aware that today’s episode contains descriptions of domestic violence. Please take care while listening.

“Susanna “Sue Sue” Norton, left, and Jennifer Kirk. (Left photo courtesy of Lesley Sundberg, right photo from Facebook.)”

“Poster boards are covered in photographs of Susanna “Sue Sue” Norton and her friends and family. Phyllis Norman, Norton’s cousin, keeps the poster boards at her Kotzebue home. Photographed on Sept. 6. (Emily Mesner / ADN).”

“Susanna Norton and Amos Richards in 2018.”

“A photograph of Susanna “Mama Sue” Norton, left, and Susanna “Sue Sue” Norton posted to Sue Sue’s Facebook page on April 2, 2021.”

“Susanna “Mama Sue” Norton sits on a couch at a home in Kotzebue on Oct. 4. (Emily Mesner / ADN).”

“The grave of Susanna “Sue Sue” Norton at the cemetery just outside of town in Kotzebue in early October.”

“The intersection of Third Avenue and Mission Street in Kotzebue, photographed on Sept. 7. The two teal green houses, at middle, sit on property owned by Clement Richards Sr. Susanna “Mama Sue” Norton’s house is the brown house at the bottom right corner. Kotzebue City Hall and Police Department are seen above the intersection, to the left. (Emily Mesner / ADN).”

A full transcript of this episode is available here.

Action Items Related to Today’s Episode:

I want to highlight an organization doing work that feels deeply connected to Jennifer and Sue Sue’s stories. Data for Indigenous Justice — or DIJ — was created in 2020 after an advocate tried to gather a complete list of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People for a community rally. What she found instead was a maze: agencies at the local, state, and federal levels all track MMIP cases differently, and the information is often scattered — if it exists at all.

DIJ emerged to fill those gaps. Today, they maintain a community-sourced database of MMIP cases, built alongside the families and tribes who refuse to let their loved ones become invisible in paperwork or institutional neglect.

But their mission isn’t just about counting cases. It’s about honoring people. Every MMIP case represents a life lived, a community grieving, and a story that deserves to be held with care. By naming and remembering those who’ve been lost, DIJ pushes for real accountability — and pushes us toward a world where Native survivors, families, and communities are finally seen, heard, and respected.

To learn more, sign up for their newsletter, or support their work, visit dataforindigenousjustice.org.

Audio Used:

ADN Politics podcast: Two deaths in Kotzebue.

KTUU: Police say they won’t reopen death investigation of woman found on former mayor’s property

YouTube: Sue Sue Norton Public Info Request March 2025. Uploaded by @AlaskaStateTroopersOfficial.

Sources Used:

DocumentCloud: Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention List of Factors in DV Staged Crime Scenes.

ProPublica: One Woman Died on an Alaska Mayor’s Property. Then Another. No One Has Ever Been Charged. By Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News.

ADN Politics podcast: Two deaths in Kotzebue.

Alaska.org. Exploring the Remote Town of Kotzebue, Alaska. By Carl Johnson

DocumentCloud: Jennifer Kirk Death Investigation – Kotzebue Police Department.

DocumentCloud: 2KB-89-00168CR Clement Richards Sr. DV (1).