Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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Gene Kennedy reportingDestiny Norton's accused killer talked exclusively to Eyewitness News in a jailhouse interview.
Craig Gregerson is charged with murdering 5 year-old Destiny Norton and sexually abusing her dead body.
Right after he was booked into Salt Lake County jail, Eyewitness News filed paperwork to interview Gregerson. He agreed and talked with us for about a half hour. No cameras were allowed.
His demeanor during the face-to-face interview was very calm. He had a perpetual grin on his face at several points during the interview. But when I would persist with my questions, he would try to answer everyone as candidly as he could.
There's a lot he can't talk about because of his pending case.
Early on, I asked him about his so-called confession and if he thought that would hurt his case. He never denied confessing but put it this way:
Craig Gregerson: "It wasn't a full fledge confession. I told them (FBI) the basics and they filled in the gaps and exaggerated the details. I don't think what I said will hurt my case."
I then asked, "What was exaggerated?"
Craig Gregerson: "I never searched for her (Destiny). That was one of several things that were untrue. When I saw that on the news I laughed because it wasn't true."
So what about attending candlelight prayer vigils? People say they saw him there. He says that never happened either.
If he really did kill Destiny, what everyone wants to know is why? That is still unclear, but he did have this to say:
Craig Gregerson: "I really want to answer that but my lawyer is preventing me from doing that right now in light of the case. I can tell you this, I have now become a strong advocate against pornography."
That certainly piqued my interest and given that Gregerson is only 20 years-old, I asked, What events in your life led you to this point?
Craig Gregerson: "I was addicted to pornography at one point. It was ruining my life and affecting my relationship with my wife. I would come on to her in a different way. I tried to get rid of the porn in January because I lost interest in it."
Gregerson would not answer whether he was talking about adult pornography or child porn. It's hard to tell how much remorse Gregerson feels about the alleged crime. But almost immediately in the interview, he expressed a desire to make a public apology.
Craig Gregerson: "I do apologize to the public and everyone else who's been involved in what happened."
He meant that for Destiny and her family, plus an apology to the searchers who looked for her for days. But it's unclear why he did this. He says that will become clear during a trial.
Despite his so-called confession, he said that he is going to plead not guilty.
Craig Gregerson: "I'm not guilty because of things that happened that day. At my trial I will take the stand. I feel everyone should know what happened. I was sane when this happened. I think people just say they're insane to get out of the death penalty."
He says he's not worried about the death penalty if the jury convicts him.
Craig Gregerson: "I'm not scared of it. Should the jury convict me, I'm not scared of death."
The interview was only a half hour, but Gregerson told me he would talk with me again. We have already filed additional paperwork hoping for a second interview.
Gregerson is supposed to have a scheduling conference tomorrow before Judge Judith Atherton.
