Ex-boyfriend being investigated by police in 2 Magna killings

Ex-boyfriend being investigated by police in 2 Magna killings

(KSL-TV)


Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

MAGNA — Newly unsealed search warrants retrace the final days of Stevan Chambers, and indicate he may have been held hostage by others before he was shot and killed.

They also point to a suspect — a former boyfriend of a woman who was killed in the same area just two days later.

The body of Chambers, 26, was discovered in the road near 8990 W. 2900 South in the early hours of Aug. 17. He died of a gunshot wound to the head, according to police.

Two days later, the body of Shelli Marie Brown, 26, was found shot to death in Magna Copper Park, 8941 W. 2600 South. Unified police say Chambers and Brown were acquaintances and they believe the two killings are likely connected.

Since the bodies were discovered, detectives have been busy rounding up and interviewing numerous associates of the two.

A woman claimed that Chambers drugged and assaulted her on the morning of Aug. 15, according to two search warrants filed in 3rd District Court. By that night, Chambers was being "held against his will" in a garage by others "for the purpose of questioning Stevan about (the woman's) accusations," according to the warrants. Police say he was held hostage on Aug. 15 and 16.

Witnesses told police the suspect was present when Chambers was held hostage, the affidavits state.

During the early hours of Aug. 17, several people "taking advantage of the wi-fi network" outside the Magna Library, 2675 S. 8950 West, saw Chambers "being chased" by the woman he had allegedly assaulted and by another man, according to the warrants.

Some outside the library intervened and tried to stop the chase. They stopped the woman, but they told police they "last saw Stevan alone with (the suspect) on the street at 8885 W. 2700 South sometime between" 1 a.m. and 2 a.m., the affidavits state.

Chambers' body was discovered at 3:11 a.m. in the street at 9075 W. 2900 South.

When interviewed by police, the man under investigation said he had been sleeping at his grandmother's Magna house during the time Chambers was chased and killed, the warrants state. He "did not provide detective Cameron with an alibi for his whereabouts on Aug. 18 or 19."

Related:

Others, however, told police they saw the man standing at the crime scene where Chambers was shot after police had arrived. At least two witnesses "remarked it was strange that (the man) had cut his long hair since they had seen him … just a few hours earlier," according to the warrants.

Unified police served search warrants on the man's phone and his grandmother's phone in an attempt to confirm or dispute his alibi.

The man was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for unrelated outstanding warrants. He was recently re-booked into jail after being charged in another case.

"(The suspect) is a caucasian male with tattoos on both arms. (He) initially told detectives he had never heard of or met Stevan Chambers. Throughout the interview (he) admitted to observing Stevan without shoes and provided him with a cigarette. He also admitted to dating Shelli (Brown) for two months. When (he) was arrested he was in possession of latex gloves similar to the ones located near Shelli's crime scene," the warrants state.

On Aug. 19, a witness told police he heard gunshots coming from the area of Magna Copper Park. He went to investigate and saw "a male running wearing a white tank top holding his rear waist band to keep an object from falling out. (The witness) stated the male had tattoos on both arms," according to the affidavits.

The same caliber of shell casings that were found next to Chambers' body were also found next to Brown's body, police said.

"The shell casings have been sent to the state crime laboratory for processing for fingerprints and DNA. The results are still pending," detectives wrote in the warrants.

The man considered a suspect in the search warrants has prior criminal convictions in Utah and has served prison time in another state, according to court records.

As of Friday, no arrests have been made in connection with either killing and no criminal charges have been filed.

Related stories

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

Utah
Pat Reavy
    KSL.com Beyond Business
    KSL.com Beyond Series

    KSL Weather Forecast

    KSL Weather Forecast
    Play button