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UTAH STATE PRISON — A man accused of stabbing a high-profile Utah State Prison inmate has been charged with attempted murder.
Simon Russell Scown, 29, was a cellmate of Eric Millerberg on July 1 when prosecutors say he stabbed or slashed Millerberg 22 to 25 times.
Scown was charged late Friday in 3rd District Court with attempted murder, a first-degree felony, and obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony.
Millerberg, 36, is accused of causing the death of his 16-year-old baby-sitter, Alexis Rasmussen, and dumping her body in Morgan County after allegedly injecting her with a lethal combination of heroin and methamphetamine in September 2011. He is currently awaiting trial on charges of child abuse homicide, a first-degree felony; obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony; and unlawful sexual activity with a minor, and abuse and desecration of a human body, both third-degree felonies.
Rasmussen allegedly would baby-sit for Eric and Dea Millerberg in exchange for drugs. She would also go to their North Ogden home for drugs on other occasions, according to investigators. Eric Millerberg is accused of hiding Rasmussen's body because he didn't want to go back to prison.
On July 1, a corrections officer found Scown standing over Millerberg in their cell. Scown had two cuts on his left arm. Millerberg had a swollen eye and "puncture wounds to his head, neck, torso, back and arms," charges state.
Related:
Man suspected in Ogden teen's death stabbed in prison
A North Ogden man awaiting trial in the death his 16-year-old baby sitter was stabbed Monday at the Utah State Prison.Millerberg was taken to the prison infirmary where officers counted five slash wounds to the back of his neck, four on the top of his head, four to his face, two on his left shoulder and seven to 10 slash wounds to his stomach, according to charging documents.
Investigators reported finding a shank and disposable razors hidden in the cell.
Millerberg was transferred out of the prison to a local hospital for treatment and returned to the prison less than 24 hours later.
A motive for the attack, including whether Millerberg was assaulted because of his alleged crime or high-profile status, where unknown Monday.
Scown was sentenced in 2012 to up to five years in prison for violating a protective order and two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person. He reportedly is a member of the same gang as Millerberg, according to Department of Corrections spokesman Steve Gehrke.
