A Wasilla man previously convicted of killing his mother and younger brother in 2016 pleaded not guilty Monday to new murder charges related to the death of an Anchorage teenager, according to Alaska court records.
Ian Millard entered the plea in Palmer Superior Court in connection with the death of 18-year-old Ataja Banks, who was reported missing in November 2023. Prosecutors have charged Millard with second-degree murder, manslaughter, and tampering with physical evidence.
Investigators say Banks was killed on or around Sept. 25, 2023, according to charging documents. Human remains discovered in September 2025 near Moose Meadows Road in Wasilla were later identified as Banks.
Alaska State Troopers arrested Millard after locating him driving along South Goose Bay Road in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Authorities have not publicly detailed the relationship between Millard and Banks or a possible motive in the case.
Millard previously gained statewide attention after a 2016 double homicide in Wasilla, when he fatally shot his mother and younger brother at age 12. He was later placed in juvenile detention and released from McLaughlin Youth Center around age 19.
Because the case was handled through the juvenile justice system, many records related to the earlier killings remain sealed.
The case has drawn attention across Alaska due to Millard’s earlier convictions and the new charges involving an Anchorage resident. According to state data, Alaska has consistently ranked among the highest states in the nation for violent crime rates.
A judge set bail at $500,000, with conditions including electronic monitoring and house arrest if released. Millard’s next court hearing is scheduled for April 10, when the case will proceed to the next stage of the legal process.
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