Domestic violence incidents leave 2 Utahns dead, 3 seriously injured


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SALT LAKE CITY — Within the past 36 hours, Utah police agencies have responded to two situations of violence in the home that resulted in serious injury and even death. Law enforcement officers say the key to preventing these crimes is education.

According to the latest reports from the Utah Domestic Violence Council, between July 2010 and June 2011, there were 28 domestic violence-related deaths in Utah. There were nearly 4,000 charges filed of domestic violence statewide during that same time frame.

The most recent case happened Saturday in a West Valley home near 2600 West and 3400 South.

“When our officers arrived on scene, they found a 12-year-old female and 8-year-old male who had been stabbed multiple times,” said West Valley Police Lt. Dalan Taylor.

Investigators believe the person responsible for the violent case is the children's mother, Mary Galvis.

Galvis was booked into jail for investigation of three counts of domestic violence aggravated assault. Her children were making progress at the hospital Saturday evening, and are expected to be OK.

“The person who's supposed to be ensuring (the children's) safety, you know when they become the suspect, obviously it concerns us quite a bit,” Taylor said.

Rewinding the clock to just after 5 p.m. Friday, and moving 45 miles north, Ogden police got another domestic violence call. A husband is believed to have shot and killed his wife, and then shot another 22-year-old family member.

“She was able to escape from the home; she had been shot in her hand,” said Ogden Police Lt. Danielle Croyle.

The suspected shooter, a man in his 50s, ultimately turned the gun on himself, Croyle said. He was also found dead.

Names of those invovled were not released Saturday.

“These types of cases are very traumatic for the other victims involved, but (also for) the community, the neighborhood," Croyle said.

Next month is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and law enforcement officials are encouraging people to speak out and seek help, whether it's for themselves or family members.

“If you are a victim, or you know of someone who is a victim, there are resources out there,” Croyle said.

Look for the red flags, she said. The most basic cycle of domestic violence typically looks something like this:

  • Tension builds in the relationship.
  • If not dealt with properly, the tension increases and can turn into a violent episode.
  • The relationship then returns to a "honeymoon phase,” or a period of remorse.
  • Tention builds once again.
“We want to intervene; we need to intervene before it escalates to something like a homicide-suicide,” Croyle said.

For people seeking help or needing to report domestic violence, the Utah Domestic Violence Council has a 24-hour hotline, 1-800-897-LINK (5465). Phone operators are there to educate, give encouragement, counsel and provide a handful of other resources

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