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MAGNA — Police believe the death of a Salt Lake woman whose body was found in a park Wednesday was the result of homicide.
The incident marks the second killing in Magna in three days. The bodies were discovered just a few blocks from each other.
Just before 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, the body of 26-year-old Shelli Marie Brown was found in Copper Park, 8941 W. 2600 South. The body was discovered by a woman walking her dog, according to police.
Brown was not carrying any identification on her. Unified police detectives used fingerprints to learn her identity.
Brown's body was found near the developed area of the park where there are bleachers next to a baseball field and a pavilion.
Unified Police Sgt. Jared Richardson said he couldn't go into detail Wednesday as to why investigators believe her death was the result of a homicide and not a suicide or accident.
Likewise, police declined to say whether there were any obvious signs of trauma.
Unified police homicide investigators were among the first on the scene Wednesday after Brown's body was discovered because they were already in the area conducting follow-up work to an incident that happened earlier in the week.
The body of Stevan Ryan Chambers, 26, of Magna, was found in the street, 2900 S. 8990 West, early Monday. Police say he was shot.
No arrests had been made as of Wednesday, but Unified Police Lt. Lex Bell said detectives working the case had developed a "very good lead."
As of Wednesday afternoon, Bell said there was nothing immediately obvious that linked the two crimes, but also noted it was still early in the investigation.
Felicia, a friend of Chambers who declined to give her last name, said she believes the deaths are related.
"I think it is related 100 percent. I don't know how. But people in Manga just don't drop like that. We've had two deaths in less than a week. That just doesn't happen. Of course I think they're related," she said.
It's disturbing. It really kind of unsettles us. We're a small town. Everyone knows everyone here, and it's just really shaken us up.
–Felicia, friend of Chambers
Felicia said Chambers was a person who had "lost himself" in recent years, "but he never lost his heart. He always cared 100 percent about everyone."
She claimed he is survived by a girlfriend who is seven months' pregnant. Felicia now hopes there is justice for both her friend and Brown.
"It's disturbing. It really kind of unsettles us. We're a small town. Everyone knows everyone here, and it's just really shaken us up," she said.
In light of the two recent homicides, Unified police also announced Wednesday they would be increasing the number of officers and patrols in the area to give residents reassurance by remaining visible.
A search of court records shows Brown was charged May 20 in 3rd District Court with drug possession with the intent to a distribute, a second-degree felony. She was also charged with drug paraphernalia and drug possession, both class B misdemeanors.
She pleaded guilty in 2007 and 2014 in two other misdemeanor drug cases.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Unified Police Department at 801-743-7000.
Contributing: Megan Marsden Christensen, Sandra Yi, Ben Lockhart, Nicole Vowell
