John Pezzenti

Who is John Pezzenti?

John Pezzenti, Jr. was an American wildlife photographer born in Newington, Connecticut, but who spent much of his life taking pictures of wildlife in the Alaska wilderness.

He moved to Alaska in 1976, working on the Alaskan pipeline and owning and running a lodge at Kenai Lake during the 1970s. Pezzenti then began working as an independent wildlife photographer and published three photography books during his life. Some of his photos hung in the Oval Office during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. He had his photos published in many different magazines, including National Geographic, Alaska Magazine, Reader's Digest, and Natural History. He also spoke at events at the World Trade Center and the Smithsonian Institution.

He was found by police shot to death at his home in Anchorage, Alaska on 3 December 2007. Police have not yet determined a clear motive or found a solid suspect. The story of his murder has been aired as a featured segment on the weekly television series America's Most Wanted twice.