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SALT LAKE CITY — A Murray woman and her uncle awaiting a judge's ruling on whether they would face a murder trial in a 2004 killing have accepted plea deals.
Brittany Lin Snyder, 31, pleaded guilty Friday to manslaughter, a second-degree felony, in the 2004 death. Her uncle, Clint Veon Snyder, 53, also of Murray, entered an Alford plea to an identical charge, which is not an admission of guilt but acknowledges he would likely be convicted by a jury.
The Snyders were charged in January with murder, a first-degree felony, accused of killing 24-year-old Michael Lewis, and were awaiting a bindover decision scheduled for Thursday, which would have announced the outcome of a preliminary hearing in June.
The Snyders have been held on $1 million bail since their arrest.
In court filings, Brittany Snyder admitted she lured Lewis to her former home, 5316 S. Hamlin St., on March 6, 2004, and "participated in the events that led to his death."
Clint Snyder said in plea filings that he restrained Lewis to prevent him from defending himself while his niece stabbed the man multiple times in the neck and torso.
As part of her plea, Brittany Snyder agreed to debrief with prosecutors about the day Lewis was killed. The deal did not spell out sentencing recommendations for Snyder, who faces a potential sentence of one to 15 years in prison.
Prosecutors agreed to recommend no jail or prison time for Clint Snyder.
Police say Brittany Snyder used pepper spray to incapacitate Lewis before her uncle tackled him. After stabbing the man, Clint Snyder and a third person, identified only as B.D. in charging documents, left Lewis' body in a trash can where it was discovered a day later.
Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 17 for Clint Snyder and Oct. 31 for his niece.