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BENJAMIN, Utah County — A Salt Lake County Jail sergeant is dead after an apparent murder-suicide shooting Friday afternoon, police said.
Utah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Cannon said police received the call of a body discovered inside a home near 7400 South and 1800 West a little after 12:40 p.m.
Cannon said a family member had come to conduct a welfare check and discovered the body of Sgt. Chad Elwood Conrad, 42, inside a bedroom of the home. Conrad worked in Corrections with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Conrad died of multiple gunshot wounds and it appeared he had been shot in his sleep, Cannon said.
Arriving officers then found another body of a man outside of the home that appeared to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot. That man was identified as Damon Brian Bushman, 23.
Cannon said Bushman was Conrad's nephew and the two men lived at the home.
Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder, who arrived at the scene later in the afternoon, said Conrad worked at Salt Lake County Jail and was a long-time member of the department.
Winder said Conrad was scheduled to work Friday and described the case as a "very significant tragedy." Cannon said Conrad had worked a graveyard shift Thursday.
"He was a very dedicated professional — a gentleman that has served this community very well," Winder said of Conrad.
Cannon said police are still trying to find a motive for the shooting, but investigators believe it was a murder-suicide.
"Whatever the motive there was, it was pretty clear there was some anger," he said.
KSL obtained a post on what appears to be Bushman's Facebook page alluding to family difficulties. Cannon did not confirm the contents of the post, but said police were looking into it.
"Our investigators are discussing something that was posted on Facebook and looking into that to try to verify it," Cannon said. Police were securing a warrant to search Bushman's phone, Cannon added.
Gordon Vincent, who has lived in the neighborhood for 40 years, said the area, which has a beautiful view of the mountains and is surrounded by farmland, is very quiet and peaceful.
“When you see three cars here, it’s a busy day,” he said, noting he knew something was wrong when he saw several squad cars and other emergency vehicles speeding down the road.
Vincent said he was saddened by the news because those living in the home are "such a good family."
Contributing: Brianna Bodily, Ben Lockhart
