Orangeville woman found dead in home had been ‘praying for her life,’ warrant states

Orangeville woman found dead in home had been ‘praying for her life,’ warrant states

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ORANGEVILLE, Emery County — Prior to Kristi Price Maxwell's death, she had "been praying for her life" because her husband had threatened to kill both her and himself, according to court records.

Family members told police that Maxwell, 47, was fearful because her husband, Richard Maxwell, 55, had "been suicidal and told (Kristi) that he is going to take (her) out with him," according to a newly unsealed search warrant in 7th District Court.

Kristi Maxwell was found dead in her Orangeville home on July 17. Police also found Richard Maxwell with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to a local hospital. On Aug. 8, a couple of days after being released from the hospital, Richard Maxwell shot and killed himself, according to police.

Questions have been raised about why Maxwell wasn't taken into custody after being released from the hospital. Emery County Attorney Mike Olsen said Tuesday that it was because the initial autopsy for Kristi Maxwell could not determine a cause of death.

There were no visible signs of trauma on Maxwell's body, deputies said in their search warrants. The Utah State Medical Examiner's Office listed the cause of death as undetermined pending the outcome of toxicology tests, according to one of the warrants.

"According to the doctor over the autopsy, he found what appeared to be ‘pill residue’ or a substance that sparkled on the back of Kristi’s tongue. This is something the doctor stated that food does not do. The doctor also told Det. Conover that there was some fluid in the lungs that is a possible indication of drugs," the warrant states.

As of Tuesday, sheriff's investigators and prosecutors were still waiting for the toxicology results. Once those were back, Olsen said his office would be releasing more information regarding the homicide investigation.

The case

According to the two search warrants released this week, Emery County Sheriff's deputies met at the Maxwell house with family members of Kristi Maxwell on July 17 to conduct a welfare check because they had not heard from her all day.

"Richard and Kristi’s marriage has been struggling lately," investigators stated in their warrant. "Richard has been struggling on and off with finding employment, and this has had an impact on his mental state and marriage, according to friends and family."

Shortly after entering the house, two of the family members "ran out the front door stating that he, Richard, had a gun under his chin," the warrant states. As a deputy was yelling to other family members to get out, a gunshot was heard, the warrant states.

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After backup was called and deputies had surrounded the house and were preparing to enter, Richard Maxwell was spotted near the front door with a what appeared to be a gunshot wound to his chest, according to the warrant.

"Mr. Maxwell got to the front door and with a scared look on his face did not say anything and just shut the door and locked it," the warrant states.

Deputies kicked the door in and found Maxwell sitting at a dining room table with a gun close by and a "large amount of blood on the floor in front of Mr. Maxwell," the warrant states. A deputy grabbed the gun while others took Maxwell into custody.

As investigators searched the rest of the house, they found Kristi Maxwell's body on the floor of an upstairs bedroom under a sheet, the warrant states. The body had been there "for some time," the warrant states.

No arrests

Sheriff's investigators were at the hospital watching Richard Maxwell while the autopsy was conducted on Kristi Maxwell, Olsen said. But when the results came back as inconclusive, they weren't able to take him into custody, even though he was a still a suspect in an open homicide investigation, and even though he had reportedly threatened suicide and had already shot himself once.

"He was released by his doctors. He was not in our custody at that time. Her cause of death was undetermined by the ME (medical examiner). And he was still a person of interest. And the investigation was ongoing. But he was not in our custody. And he was released by his doctors. So if he had those thoughts or if he had those difficulties, that was between him and his health care providers. He was not in our custody," Olsen said.

Olsen said it is his understanding that Maxwell was placed in the care of his family, who were aware of the situation, after being released from the hospital. He was reportedly staying at a relative's house and being watched by family and friends, Olsen said.

"We were told that he didn't have any access to firearms or anything like that," he said.

As for what kind supervision Maxwell was receiving after being released from the hospital, Olsen said he didn't know because he does not have access to those medical records.

"That's their business. We had not placed him under arrest. So he was not in our custody or control. He was a person of interest, and we were investigating the death of his wife under those circumstances, absolutely. But he wasn't in our care, custody and control at that point in time. And we had been told by (the family) that they had removed all firearms and that he was in their care and they were watching him," he said.

Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting the YWCA's Women in Jeopardy program at 801-537-8600 or the statewide Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-897-LINK (5465).

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Pat Reavy

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