Unified police question 3 in connection with Magna homicides


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MAGNA — Two men who may have information about two recent homicides in Magna were tracked down and arrested by police Friday.

Unified Police Lt. Lex Bell said detectives had been looking for two known associates of Stevan Ryan Chambers, 26, whose body was found Monday in the street near 8990 W. 2900 South.

Bell said the two were known to "run in the same circles" as Chambers. Investigators wanted to talk to them to find out what was happening in the days leading up to his death.

Two days after Chambers' body was discovered, the body of 26-year-old Shelli Marie Brown was found in Copper Park, 8941 W. 2600 South.

On Friday, officers spotted the two men wanted for questioning, along with a third person just before 12:30 p.m. in Magna, Bell said. But rather than answer questions, 39 year-old Lewis Andreason and 25 year-old Daniel Pruden-Hayes ran away from police.

Because Unified police were already heavily patrolling the city due to the two recent homicides, officers, some with K-9s, and a helicopter quickly surrounded the area.

"(The men) really had nowhere to go," Bell said.

Within 45 minutes, Andreason and Pruden-Hayes were rounded up. Both had outstanding felony warrants, Bell said. The person they were with had stayed behind and cooperated with officers, according to Bell.

Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder said all three were being interviewed Friday afternoon to see what they knew about the homicides, though he said they were not considered suspects.

"As to their specific knowledge (of the crimes), we don't know," Winder said shortly after the men were taken into custody. "Whether these individuals have anything to do with this case, we don't know right now. What we do know is they may have information."

Andreason was arrested for investigation of outstanding arrest warrants in felony theft and drug possession cases, as well as an alleged incident of fleeing police.

Pruden-Hayes was arrested for outstanding misdemeanor warrants for alleged theft, drug possession and resisting arrest. He was also booked for fleeing from police, according to Bell.

"Neither of their warrants had anything to do with today's events at all, or the homicides," Bell said.

Winder said detectives reached out to Andreason and Pruden-Hayes earlier to ask them questions, but they declined to call back. Sheriff's deputies, however, "aggressively" pursued leads in the two cases.

"We want people to know if we need to speak to you, you need to speak to us," Winder emphasized.

The two men were likely avoiding police because of their arrest warrants, Bell said.

A search of Utah court records shows Andreason pleaded guilty to felony burglary in 2009 and was convicted of felony theft in July 2014. He also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and attempted drug possession in March. In October 2014, two assault charges against Andreason were dismissed.

Pruden-Hayes was charged in September with fleeing police and possession of drug paraphernalia in an ongoing case. He pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor theft charges and misdemeanor drug possession in 2008. In July 2014, he was convicted of fleeing police and attempted drug possession, both misdemeanors.

Winder again stressed Friday that although Chambers and Brown knew each other, there was no immediate evidence that linked their deaths.

Chambers was shot. The cause of death for Brown had not been released as of Friday.

Contributing: Ben Lockhart, Sam Penrod

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