Top Utah crime stories of 2013


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SALT LAKE CITY — A bizarre love triangle that landed a deputy in jail and his fire chief father in the hospital, the long-awaited capture of one of Utah's most elusive fugitives, and a Layton man's unusual trip to the state Capitol were just a few of the crime stories that made Utah headlines in 2013.

Midvale triple homicide

The year got off to a violent start in Midvale when Unified Police reported that David Fresques shot four people inside a known drug house on Feb. 12, killing three of them.

"That man doesn't even know what he took away," said a friend of the victims, Wayne Gavin. "He took away a mother, a friend."

Fresques is now in prison for a parole violation while awaiting trial for aggravated murder.

Body found in Colorado River

In March, a Moab man's body was pulled from the Colorado River.Prosecutors initially believed 17-year-old Charles Nelson shot Gregorio Campos. They later learned Brody Kruckenberg, also 17, pulled the trigger, killing the man who was dating his mother, Corina Yardley.

Yardley was sentenced to jail time for helping to cover up the killing. Kruckenberg and Nelson are both serving time in secure youth facilities.

Capture of the "Mountain Man"

A chance encounter in April with a father and son out looking for antlers led to the capture of the fugitive known as "the Mountain Man."

Troy James Knapp is now awaiting trial on charges in six Utah counties and in federal court. He is accused of burglarizing dozens of cabins over a period of seven years, and then shooting at officers when they moved in to arrest him.

Ogden church shooting

In June, a man shot down his father-in-law during Father's Day church services in Ogden.

Police said Charles Jennings walked into St. James the Just Catholic Church and shot Jim Evans, in the back of the head. Evans survived the incident.

"We cannot wish evil upon the shooter," said Reverend Erik Richtsteig. "That would itself be evil. The Lord requires us to do more than that."

Jennings entered a plea of guilty but mentally ill and is set to be sentenced in January.

Moab family drama

Another tragic family drama unfolded in Moab in July when Grand County sheriff's deputy, TJ Brewer, caught his wife and his father in bed together.

In an alcohol-fueled rage, court records said Brewer beat his father, Moab Fire Chief Corky Brewer, and threatened his wife with a gun before Corky Brewer stabbed himself.

Both men resigned from their jobs, and TJ Brewer pleaded guilty to a pair of misdemeanor assault charges.

"This is a family tragedy and frankly a town tragedy," said Assistant Utah Attorney General, Scott Reed.

Truck on Capitol steps

While nowhere near a tragedy, Weston Green's apparent attempt to promote marijuana use was no doubt bizarre.

Officers say Green drove his pickup truck up the stairs at the state Capitol, then went inside and pounded on the doors of the old Utah Supreme Court. He was arrested after a brief scuffle with police.

"It was just the right sized truck with the perfect clearance to do what it did," said Utah Highway Patrol officer Travis Trotta.

Green has been charged with driving with a controlled substance in his system.

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Geoff Liesik

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