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EAST MILLCREEK — Police took one man into custody Thursday just hours after finding a woman dead in an apartment complex.
The man was detained by officers armed with rifles following a SWAT standoff at a home in the area of 1750 E. 3100 South and it is believed the man is connected to the killing of a woman just a few blocks away.
Angela Jenkins, 44, was found dead at the Cherry Hills Apartments located at 2230 E. 3300 South, Unified Police Lt. Hoyal said. A call came in from a 7-Eleven convenience store in the area around 10:20 a.m.
"They said, 'Send paramedics, somebody here is not breathing,'" Hoyal said.
Officers arrived to find Jenkins deceased with "obvious trauma," leading police to classify the death as a homicide.
"Her injuries appear to have been inflicted by another," Hoyal said.
Police had responded to the apartment on reports of a domestic violence incident earlier in the day, around 6:30 a.m., but no one responded to knocks on the door. "Nobody appeared to be here," Hoyal said. "It was all quiet."
Police began a search for a man "associated with the apartment" who Hoyal said frequents the area. He said the woman lived in the apartment, but it is unknown if she lived there alone or if the man police were seeking lives there as well.
The man reportedly drives a white SUV with tinted windows and a similar SUV was parked at the home on 3100 South. A SWAT team responded and were able to get the homeowner out of the home, who told them they were weapons inside that were easily accessible.
Officers continued to try to engage the man they believe is tied to the homicide case, but initially he would not respond. Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder said the man eventully answered a phone inside the home and officers negotiated with him to come outside.
He was arrested without incident.
In the apartment where Jenkins was found, a front closet door had been knocked off its hinges, clothes were scattered all over and the bed was in disarray.
Thursday afternoon, officers were serving a search warrant on the apartment and residents were expressing their hopes that the person responsible would be found.
"I'm hoping they catch him, because this is ridiculous," said a Cherry Hills resident named Roger. "This is a shame."
According to neighboring tenants, Jenkins had been assaulted as recently as one week ago. A woman who identified herself as Eileen, who lives in the apartment below where the body was found, said a couple of weeks ago when she heard a loud argument with lots of screaming.
She said she went to her balcony and called up and spoke with a man who she said seemed "reasonable."
"I talked to him," Eileen said. "I told him to just calm down."
But she still conveyed her regret at not being able to do more.
"I feel really, really sorry that happened to somebody and I couldn't do anything about it," Eileen said.
Winder confirmed that there was a history of domestic violence at the apartment where Jenkins was found. He said police are investigating the relationship between the man they arrested and Jenkins, but it is believed he is her boyfriend.
Officers are also looking into whether the man was the one who placed the call from the 7-Eleven.
The investigation is ongoing and police are working to find out whether there are any additional suspects and into the time and manner of death.
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Story written with contributions from Emiley Morgan and Pat Reavy.
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