Man pleads guilty in 2010 slaying in St. George

Man pleads guilty in 2010 slaying in St. George


Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 2-3 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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.

ST. GEORGE — For the second time in as many months, a St. George man has admitted to his part in causing the death of another.

Paul Clifford Ashton, 34, pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder, both first-degree felonies; and possession or use of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony, in 5th District Court, according to his attorney, Douglas Terry. A second aggravated murder count was dismissed in exchange for Ashton's plea.

Ashton and Brandon Smith, 31, are accused of killing Jerrica Christensen, 20, and Brandie Sue Dawn Jerden, 27, on Dec. 11, 2010, inside a Main Street apartment in St. George. James Fiske, 28, was shot during the same incident but survived. Christensen reportedly had been asked by Fiske to help Jerden move that night. Somehow, the three ended up at Ashton's apartment, where Jerden was shot while Christensen hid in a bathroom.

It is believed Smith attacked Christensen "with the intent to prevent her from testifying" about the shootings, according to an arrest warrant police wrote. Smith assaulted Christensen "at the direction of Paul Ashton," he warrant states.

Terry said Ashton pleaded guilty to aggravated murder in connection with Jerden's death.


He's going to be serving a life sentence in the federal case, and the plea agreement we entered into will make it possible for him to serve any sentence in the state case concurrently with his federal sentence. The state knows he's going to be in prison for the rest of his life.

–Douglas Terry


This plea came on the heels of Ashton pleading guilty to aiding and abetting in both a kidnapping resulting in death and use and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence in U.S. District Court in May. As part of a plea agreement, federal prosecutors will ask that Ashton serve a sentence of life in prison for the events that played out when Bradley Eitner, 43, was taken from Ashton's home in St. George on Halloween 2010.

According to court documents, Ashton banged Eitner's head against a door frame and the tailgate of a truck before striking him with a rock and taking him, with an accomplice, to Arizona where Eitner was shot by the accomplice and pushed off an embankment. Eitner’s body was discovered March 11, 2011, and an autopsy determined he died from blunt force head trauma and a single gunshot wound to the head.

Terry said Ashton's plea agreement in federal court led to the resolution in the state court system.

"He's going to be serving a life sentence in the federal case, and the plea agreement we entered into will make it possible for him to serve any sentence in the state case concurrently with his federal sentence," the attorney said. "The state knows he's going to be in prison for the rest of his life."

Ashton's sentencing in both cases has been scheduled for Aug. 6. Smith is next scheduled to appear in court for a hearing on the evidence against him in October.

Related stories

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

Utah
Emiley Morgan

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast