Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SPANISH FORK -- Officials have dismissed the murder charges against Roger and Pamela Mortensen, the couple accused of murdering Roger's father Kay Mortensen in November of 2009.
At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, the Utah County Sheriff's Office said it does not believe Roger and Pamela Mortensen are guilty of killing the former BYU professor. Police say they have now arrested those they believe are responsible for his death and will dismiss the murder charges against the couple. Deputy Utah County Attorney Tim Taylor said he doesn't anticipate charges will be re-filed.
- Nov. 16, 2009 - 1 dead in home invasion; deputies looking for armed suspects
- Nov. 17, 2009 - Investigators remain tight-lipped about Payson murder
- Nov. 24, 2009 - Family offers reward in last week's murder
- Dec. 23, 2009 - Authorities say murder of Payson man was not random
- Jan. 25, 2010 - Family members named persons of interest in Mortensen slaying
- Jan. 26, 2010 - Friend defends person of interest in Mortensen murder
- Feb. 3 , 2010 - Investigators: Mystery woman may have information on Mortensen murder
- March 3, 2010 - Investigators looking for 32 guns stolen in Payson murder
- March 4, 2010 - Stolen guns could be part of motive for Payson murder
- July 29, 2010 - Deputies make arrests in former BYU professor's murder
- Aug. 2, 2010 - Murder suspects make brief court appearance
- Aug. 17, 2010 - Couple accused of murder to get separate representation
- Aug. 30, 2010 - Prosecutors: Payson man's throat slashed multiple times
- Sept. 27, 2010 - Suspects in Mortensen murder want to stand trial together
"Based upon the new physical evidence that we have located, we anticipate dismissing the charges against Roger and Pam Mortensen tomorrow," he said.
Utah County Sheriff Jim Tracy announced two men were arrested in the Vernal area Tuesday. Ben Rettig and Martin Cameron Bond, who is the son of a close friend of Kay Mortensen, were being driven to the Utah County Jail Tuesday afternoon, where they were to be booked for investigation of aggravated murder and aggravated kidnapping.
Investigators on Tuesday were digging up guns and explosives possibly related to the case in Remember the Maine Park in Dry Fork Canyon, northwest of Vernal, officials said.
A tip came in over the weekend that led investigators to Uintah County. They obtained a search warrant to look for weapons that detectives believe were taken from Mortensen's Payson Canyon home.
"The individuals had no idea we were on our way," Tracy said. "They had not a clue that we had the information that we did have that led to them, so when we were able to execute the search warrant we basically caught them unaware."
Darla Mortensen, Kay Mortensen's widow, told the Deseret News that Bond's father was a close friend of her husband. The two trained together in an emergency response program in Payson.
Kay Mortensen, a former BYU professor, was found with his throat slashed Nov. 16, 2009. Despite naming the couple as persons of interest in January of 2010, police failed to name suspects in the case until Roger and Pamela Mortensen were arrested and charged in late July.
Roger and Pamela Mortensen called 911 and said they were tied up in the home by robbers, but authorities said their stories were inconsistent. Now, however, it appears their account may have been true.
"The main goal of the whole investigation over this past year has been to be very thorough and to come to a resolution to bring justice to Kay Mortensen and his family," said Lt. Mike Brower with the Utah County Sheriff's Office. "That's what ultimately the goal was and has been, and I think today we've accomplished that."
"It's very shocking to hear the new developments in the case," Darla Mortensen said. "I'm very happy to know they're cleared and that they were not involved in (Kay's) death."
She said Pamela Mortensen called her that day to see if they wanted to play games, as they frequently did. They wanted to get together because Darla and Kay were heading back down to their St. George home the next day.
"Now we will have answers to what happened that night," Darla Mortensen said. "It was hard for me to think Roger could have done that to his father."
"I think it will all be pieced together," she said, adding she hopes the new arrests will finally bring her closure. "It's so hard to move on with your life when that's hanging there and you don't know what happened."
The Mortensens' attorney, Greg Skordas, has continually proclaimed his clients' innocence.
"I hope that at some point the county attorney's office and the county sheriff's office will acknowledge that she (Pamela Mortensen) should have never been charged," said Skordas. "Whatever she's lost should hopefully can and should be restored. I applaud both of those offices for continuing their investigation and ultimately solving the case."
Roger Mortensen's attorney Anthony Howell said his client is "ecstatic about this new development."
Howell told KSL, "I would suspect that a few things in life are as liberating as being proven innocent -- not just being found not guilty, but being proven innocent on something that everybody believes you did, especially something like murder."
Roger Mortensen still faces an unrelated federal firearm charge, but Pamela Mortensen will be free to go. They have both been in jail since being indicted by a grand jury at the end of July.
A year ago, the Mortensen family offered a $25,000 reward for information in the case. Investigators acknowledged their tipster could now be eligible for that reward.
------
Story compiled with contributions from Sam Penrod and Paul Koepp.
