NORWICH – A 21-year-old Norwich native has been charged along with two other U.S. Army soldiers with robbing and killing an Alaskan businessman and then hiding his body.

Brian S. Towndrow, 21, originally of Norwich, was arrested Dec. 20 in the parking lot just outside of his alleged co-conspirator’s Fairbanks, Alaska apartment as police were preparing to storm the residence.

The Fairbanks Police Department’s (FPD) Christmas eve felony complaint states that Towndrow’s accomplices said he was the one who strangled 62-year-old Daniel Frederick, owner of an antiques and military supplies store.

The other two men charged in the Dec. 11 homicide are soldiers from Fort Wainwright in Alaska: Raymond Jones, 29, and Michael C. Moore, 23.

The Associated Press reported both men had been deployed to Iraq earlier in 2008 with the Army’s 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry.

After his arrest and while in incarceration, police said Towndrow told a correctional officer he wished to meet with FPD detectives and during the subsequent interview, Towndrow led investigators to where the trio had hidden the body.

The department reported that Towndrow was also once stationed at Fort Wainwright, but was discharged earlier in 2008 after their investigators arrested him April 10, 2008 for the sexual assault and abuse of a 15-year-old relative.

Towndrow was awaiting his sentencing in that case when he was picked up by the FPD for the murder, said a statement released by the department.