Search warrants reveal new details in case of 3 missing men

Search warrants reveal new details in case of 3 missing men

(Utah Division of Motor Vehicles)


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SALT LAKE CITY — A bullet hole, enough blood to indicate someone likely died, and a rumored threat were all bits of information revealed in new documents Monday into the investigation of three missing men.

Levi Collins, 34, Danny Kiko Gallegos, 35, and Braden Parker Emerson, 23, have been missing since Nov. 1.

On Nov. 3, a white Chevy Tahoe was found abandoned near the Jordan River surplus canal at 1740 W. 1500 South. A large amount of blood was found inside, but Salt Lake police have not said where in the vehicle or how much blood was found.

According to newly released search warrants served by Salt Lake homicide detectives, however, the blood was found in the area where the driver would sit.

"The amount of blood on the floor of the driver's area is huge, and the blood loss is probably not survivable," according to the warrant.

Detectives also found "what appears to be a bullet hole in the left rear window near the back of the door frame," the warrant states.


The amount of blood on the floor of the driver's area is huge, and the blood loss is probably not survivable.

–police search warrant


The driver's side seat belt appeared to have been cut in half, according to a second search warrant.

Last week, Salt Lake police confirmed that some of the blood found in the SUV came from one of three missing men.

Family members say the three are all close friends and were reportedly going to ride ATVs near the Bountiful "B" on the day they were last seen.

Detectives initially were also looking for a trailer and an Arctic Cat off-road vehicle that the trio was allegedly hauling that day. Those items were later located by police at an undisclosed auto shop where it had been dropped off for repairs. Detectives did not believe there was anything suspicious surrounding the auto shop, trailer and ATV.

A dog was also found in the abandoned vehicle. The dog belonged to Collins, according to family members.

The abandoned Tahoe is registered to a Taylorsville man, according to the warrant. Police say they have interviewed the owner of the SUV and do not consider him a suspect.

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According to the return on the search warrant for the Tahoe, investigators took 33 cotton swabs looking for DNA samples. Investigators also took a bowling pin found on the roof of the vehicle, a duffel bag, "papers," a small amount of methamphetamine, and things listed simply as "items," according to the warrant.

In a second search warrant served by another Salt Lake homicide detective, Gallegos' aunt told police on Nov. 2 — the day before the abandoned SUV was discovered — that she did not believe the men ever made it to Bountiful. She also said "she believed something nefarious has occurred to Gallegos due to 'the word on the street' is a man 'PeeWee' has done something bad to Gallegos," according to the warrant.

The warrant also states that Gallegos has a surveillance system in his house that recorded Gallegos and Collins at the house on Nov. 1.

A third search warrant served at Gallegos' residence states that police were looking for possible evidence to include "bodies, surveillance systems, any bloodied clothing, trace evidence related to violent crimes and criminal homicide, and any other fruits or instrumentalities of the crime of criminal homicide."

Police say no bodies were found at the residence.

A federal complaint against a man named Justin Christopher was also unsealed Monday, identifying Gallegos as "a drug dealer" with no legitimate source of income who began cooperating with law enforcement in July.

The two-count complaint alleges Christopher had assisted Gallegos with using his business, JC Custom Jewelry, to launder money, provided a storage unit for him, had accompanied him to drop off marijuana, gave him a yellow Lamborghini and was going to help him buy a house.

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Pat Reavy

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