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SALT LAKE CITY — The man accused of ambushing and killing a Draper Police sergeant made his first appearance before a judge Tuesday.
His girlfriend was also in court, but the distance between the two continues to grow as their court cases proceed.
There were two different demeanors in court. Timothy Troy Walker, still not able to speak, looked grave as he stared straight ahead. Traci Vaillancourt smiled widely as she entered the courtroom and her attorneys say she's hopeful.
"She's doing a lot better than a month ago," said Mathew Kober, Vaillancourt's attorney. "We've talked to her about where the case is going and she's encouraged by where we're going to go in the case."
Defense attorneys have always maintained Vaillancourt is a victim in this case. She is charged with obstructing justice, serious charges that her attorneys say could put her behind bars for 30 years if convicted.
We always look at possibilities of plea offers. We also look at what possibilities we have of dismissals or trials.
–Mathew Kober, Traci Vaillancourt's attorney
However, the talk outside the court Tuesday centered around dismissals and deals, not about convictions.
"We always look at possibilities of plea offers," Kober said. "We also look at what possibilities we have of dismissals or trials. So we're still evaluating what options we have. again, we haven't reviewed all the evidence yet. we haven't got it."
The last time Vaillancourt was in court, she was on oxygen in a wheelchair. Tuesday, she was off the oxygen and walking on her own power.
Walker still had the device in place that appears to be holding his jaw together and his attorney said he is still not able to talk. He still has not been read the aggravated murder charge filed against him.
He's accused of ambushing Draper Police Sgt. Derek Johnson on Sept. 1, then turning the gun on Vaillancourt and ultimately himself. There is still no talk of a motive.
The two will appear in court again in West Jordan on Dec. 3. at different times of day and they'll be brought in different jail transports.
Attorneys say there are a slew of reasons for that, including the emotions involved and that they are "witnesses against each other" in their cases.
