A judge in Alaska declared a mistrial in the case of a former police officer accused of murdering an Alaska Native woman.

Jurors had been deliberating since last Tuesday and informed the judge yesterday that they could not reach a verdict against Matthew Owens. Authorities say the former Nome officer shot Sonya Ivanoff, 19, in the back of the head and dumped her naked body on the side of the road.

The state is considering whether to bring Owens to trial again. Defense attorneys said there was no evidence linking him to the Ivanoff's death in August 2003.

Ivanoff spent most of her life in a Native village before moving to Nome in 2001.

Get the Story:
Mistrial ends Nome murder case (The Anchorage Daily News 3/1)
pwpwd

Related Stories:
Jury deliberates in murder of Alaska Native woman (2/23)
Judge won't move trial for murder of Native woman (02/12)
Ex-cop indicted for murder of Native woman (11/06)
FBI considering charges in death of Native woman (11/5)