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SALT LAKE CITY — A roommate is shedding light on a man at the heart of an Orem murder investigation who took his own life Monday during a standoff in Eagle Mountain.
Bradley Braverman, who had known David Driscoll for three years, described him as a "really, really good guy" who would "give you the shirt off his back in a heartbeat," and said he was in "really good spirits" when he saw him Sunday night.
"He had a good Christmas with his kids and he seemed to be doing pretty good," Braverman said in an interview with KSL. "I keep thinking, 'is there something I could have done? Is there a sign I missed?' No, I couldn't have prevented this."
Braverman said he had left early for work Monday and it appeared Driscoll was still asleep inside their Eagle Mountain home.
Later in the day, however, Braverman started to receive texts from Driscoll's relatives.
"I had gotten a text, 'have you heard from Dave,'" Braverman recalled. "And then I got another text, 'oh, okay, he's talking with his brother now.' And then it was probably an hour later I got a text that Dave shot Brittany."
Braverman said Brittany Engstrom was Driscoll's longtime girlfriend. He said the couple was engaged at one point, but had been "broken up for a while."
Monday afternoon, Engstrom was found shot to death in an Orem apartment after police initially responded to a call about an argument between a man and a woman at the address.
Upon learning that Driscoll was surrounded by police near a golf course in Eagle Mountain, Braverman said he rushed to the scene and offered to help. He said he ultimately left his name and number with police, then learned soon afterward from another text from a family member that Driscoll had turned his gun on himself.
"I knew Brittany, too, and Dave loved her," Braverman said. "He really did. He loved her. And it's a tragedy for both families involved."
Tuesday, KSL learned prosecutors planned to have Engstrom testify against Driscoll. He was charged in September with four first-degree felony counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
"Dave had mentioned something about they wanted him to take a plea deal, but I couldn't advise him on that because I didn't know what was going on," Braverman said. "I know he was really struggling with that."
Still, nothing in Braverman's mind could have predicted what unfolded in Orem and Eagle Mountain.
"And unfortunately, the only two people that know what happened are gone now," Braverman said. "It's just a tragedy all around. It really is."
- The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition has a statewide, 24-hour hotline for victims of domestic violence at 1-800-897-LINK (5465).
- The Division of Child and Family Services offers counseling, teaches parenting skills and conflict resolution and can connect the family with community resources. Their goal is to keep children with their family when it is "possible and safe," according to their website. Visitdcfs.utah.gov/questions/or call 1-800-323-DCFS (3237) for resources or to report child abuse or neglect.
- The Christmas Box House acts as a temporary shelter for children and can provide them with new clothing and shoes, among other services. Call the Salt Lake office at 801-747-2201 or the Ogden office at 801-866-0350.
