Police identify person of interest in Cedar City death


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CEDAR CITY — Police have identified the man held for questioning after another man was found dead and a woman injured, in a Cedar City home.

Cedar City police were called about 2 p.m. Friday on a report of a suicidal person at 386 N. 400 West. While officers were en route, they were told there had been gunfire. When they arrived, they found Thad Robertson outside the house. He told police one person inside had been shot and the second was likely armed with a handgun.

Police then evacuated nearby homes.

"They told us there was a shooting inside and an armed suspect inside. And that's what they told us when they came to the door," said neighbor Alexis Camizzi.

Later, a SWAT team moved in.

"You heard glass break and then you heard a boom," Camizzi said as SWAT members went inside the house.

Inside, they found a deceased man with multiple gunshot wounds and a woman who suffered an apparent gunshot wound, according to Cedar City police. The woman was flown to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray where she was listed in critical condition on Saturday.

A possible motive was still being investigated.

Investigators are still trying to locate next of kin before officially releasing the names of the victims.

Police took the Robertson into custody as a person of interest.

"We're still trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together at this point," said Cedar City Police Department Sgt. Jimmy Roden.

Investigators spent Friday night and Saturday morning investigating what happened in the house. As of Saturday, details made public were still sketchy, and investigators said they continue to look for a possible motive.

Neighbors said if the victims are who they believe they are, Robertson is the boyfriend of the woman.

"Everybody knows one another and everybody reaches out and helps one another, so it was really shocking," neighbor Jessica Michael said.

However, she said she has no idea who the deceased man was and why he would be at the house.

One neighbor said he believed the man who died to be the same who helped his neighbors often.

"He helped a lot of these neighbors plow the snow for them in front of their homes for them," said neighbor Kent Mumford.

Robertson was arrested for investigation of methamphetamine possession, possession of a deadly weapon by a restricted person and possession of drug paraphernalia. Cedar City police Saturday said Robertson was "still listed as a person of interest" in the homicide case.

According to Utah state court records, a woman filed for a protective order against Robertson claiming cohabitant abuse in 2007. The woman is believed to be the same one that was shot Friday. The case was dismissed at the woman's request a couple of weeks later.

Robertson also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DUI in 2001.

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