Murder charge filed in fatal Kearns shooting


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KEARNS — Murder charges have been filed against a man who police say shot a Kearns resident he suspected of having a secret relationship with his girlfriend.

Douglas D. Evans, 31, was charged Friday in 3rd District Court with murder and aggravated burglary, first-degree felonies, and possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a second-degree felony.

Evans allegedly believed his girlfriend and Theodore B. Kelbach, 49, were having a relationship. Evans was a regular visitor at Kelbach's home and the owner of a silver Infiniti with oversized rims, according to police.

A woman who was with Kelbach on May 31 said Kelbach went to answer a knock at the door about 5:45 p.m. The woman heard a loud bang, found Kelbach lying with a gunshot wound to the head and saw a "muscular dark-skinned male with long hair wearing a red tank top," leaving the house and getting into a silver car.

Evans, who is known to wear red clothing, told police that a red hat found at the scene was his, charging documents state.

Evans' girlfriend told police Evans believed she was unfaithful and in a relationship with Kelbach, the charges state. He allegedly sent her threatening text messages on May 31 showing pictures of a loaded .357 revolver and live rounds of ammunition.

Investigators said the bullet that killed Kelbach matches the ammunition in the photographs.

Evans has a lengthy criminal history that includes violence and aggression.

In 2003, Evans was convicted of misdemeanor lewdness in West Valley Justice Court. In a separate case that same year, he was convicted of two counts of violating a protective order in exchange for two other counts being dismissed, according to Utah state court records.

In late 2003, Evans was charged with several felonies, including attempted aggravated murder, disarming a police officer, burglary and two counts of aggravated assault. A West Valley woman called police on Dec. 6 to report that Evans had violated a protection order she had against him. During a scuffle with responding officers, he grabbed an officer's gun and then ran off. During a foot chase with police, an officer shot him in the arm and a second officer struck him from behind in a pickup truck.

Evans eventually pleaded guilty to disarming a police officer and the other charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to five years to life in prison. A couple of other pending domestic violence-related cases were dismissed at that time, according to court records.

Evans was released from prison in February of 2013.

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McKenzie Romero

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