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Sandra Yi reporting Prosecutors filed charges against the man accused of fatally shooting his wife in an LDS church parking lot.
Prosecutors filed the charges against David Ragsdale early this morning. One of the charges is aggravated murder, which could carry the death penalty. David Ragsdale is also charged with two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child. Prosecutors say they filed those charges because there were two young boys, walking to church with their father, who witnessed the shooting and were in the line of fire.
The aggravated murder charge is a capital offense, and prosecutors have 60 days to decide if they will pursue the death penalty. Ragsdale's attorney, Greg Skordas, had this response to the charges. He said, "We were a little surprised that the state decided to bring aggravated murder charges as opposed to murder charges. We don't believe the circumstances warrant aggravated murder."
Craig Johnson, Utah County deputy attorney, said, "Clearly going to an LDS church on a Sunday afternoon in Utah County are going to put a lot of people at great risk of death, and that's why we filed that."
Ragsdale is accused of shooting his wife, Kristy, multiple times after she got out of her minivan to go to church. The couple's two young sons were not with her at the time. Earlier this month, Kristy Ragsdale had filed an affidavit for temporary separation and orders. In those documents, she says her husband has had at least one adulterous affair.
She asked for temporary custody of her kids, temporary child support of $2,300 a month and alimony of $10,000.
A woman, who prosecutors identified as Ragsdale's girlfriend, showed up to the hearing but didn't say anything.
Ragsdale's family declined to comment as well. Kristy Ragsdale's family released a statement saying their number one priority is on Kristy's two young boys.
Ragsdale will be back in court next week.
