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SALT LAKE CITY — A man convicted of repeatedly stabbing a prominent Utah attorney in his home last year now faces at least 22 years in prison.
Matthew Christopher Wall, 29, pleaded guilty in January to a reduced charge of aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, a second-degree felony. He was sentenced Friday to between two and 20 years in prison for the attack.
On July 5, 2012, Wall broke into Steven Killpack's Salt Lake City home, stabbing him in the stomach, head and neck when the attorney woke up and found Wall in his home taking pictures from the walls and attempting to disconnect his computer.
Killpack escaped and fled to a neighbor's home. The neighbors said they barely recognized him because he was covered in so much blood.
Killpack worked with the Utah County Public Defenders Association before helping establish the Federal Public Defenders Office. He also assisted in defending Brian David Mitchell, who was convicted of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart. Killpack has also worked on many other high-profile cases, including the Ron Lafferty case.
Wall was also sentenced to an additional 20 years in prison for burglary, a second-degree felony, and 60 days each for two unrelated charges of retail theft, a third-degree felony. A judge ordered the four sentences to run concurrent to each other.
