Suspected Canadian criminal caught with GH man’s identity in Alaska

Ketchikan police arrest man claiming to be Conor Dod

Paige Richmond

of the Gateway

Authorities in Ketchikan, Alaska, learned last week that the man they thought was Conor Dod was someone else entirely.

Earlier this month, Alaska State Troopers had arrested a man at a Ketchikan campground for drunk driving, weapons misconduct and four felony assaults. The man claimed to be Dod, a 23-year-old Gig Harbor resident. He even presented a driver’s license to verify his identity.

But when Ketchikan police began investigating what appeared to be a stolen checkbook in Dod’s possession, they learned from U.S. Customs and Immigration officers that the man was really Shannon Hillman, 26, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Hillman has a “lengthy criminal history” in both Canada and Oregon, said Ketchikan Police Sgt. Ty Walker.

Hillman had previously lived in Oregon under a different identity before briefly staying with the real Dod in Gig Harbor while dating Dod’s sister, Walker said.

At that time, Hillman was suspected to have stolen an expired driver’s license from Dod. He then illegally registered a car in Dod’s name and moved to Ketchikan a few months ago.

Walker said no one suspected that Hillman was living a dubious life.

“Everybody I talked to said he’s kind of a charismatic kind of fellow,” he said.

The real Dod appears to be unharmed and unaware that his identity was stolen. Walker said the Pierce County Sheriff’s department checked on Dod at his Gig Harbor residence early Saturday morning, at which point Dod was informed of Hillman’s alleged crimes.

The sheriff’s office would only confirm that the Ketchikan Police had contacted Dod.

Dod did not return a phone message on Monday.

Reach Lifestyles Coordinator Paige Richmond at 853-9243 or by e-mail at paige.richmond@gateline.com.