Estimated read time: 2-3 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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
INDIANOLA, Sanpete County — Police say Wesley Dee Nay literally dug his own grave before he was killed and his remains placed in a shallow grave and burned.
The Utah County Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday that a 19-year-old Mt. Pleasant man was arrested in connection with the death of Nay, 22, whose body was found burned in a shallow grave in October in a wooded area on the border of Utah and Sanpete counties.
Raul Francisco Vidrio was arrested for investigation of murder, obstruction of justice and abuse or desecration of a dead body. When searching his cellphone, investigators found "an image … that shows Wesley apparently digging his own grave," according to Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon.
Nay was reported missing on Sept. 18, though the last time he was seen was Aug. 29. The shallow grave was discovered by hunters on Oct. 19. Investigators who examined the site found charred bones, including a human skull, and clothing.
The Utah State Medical Examiner's Office positively identified Nay and also determined "Wesley had significant blunt force trauma likely due to an assault. He also had injuries indicating he had been cut or stabbed," Cannon said.
Investigators believe Nay was picked up by Vidrio on Aug. 29.
According to a search warrant affidavit filed by the Sanpete County Sheriff's Office, Vidrio was later arrested in Sandy and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail. The vehicle he was driving was confirmed to be stolen on Aug. 20 in Ephraim, the warrant states.
The man who had his truck stolen later told investigators "he discovered in the bed a shovel, a pick and two gas cans that did not belong to him," according to the warrant.
Vidrio told sheriff's investigators that he and Nay "drove around town through the night, used drugs (marijuana and methamphetamine), and eventually ended up" at another residence in Mt. Pleasant, according to the warrant.
Police interviewed the man at the Mt. Pleasant residence. He told detectives that when Nay arrived at his house, he got into an argument with another man, the warrant states.
In a follow-up interview with the Mt. Pleasant resident, he claimed Vidrio borrowed a chainsaw. He said he was told "the chainsaw was to be used to cut wood to burn evidence and flesh. According to (the Mt. Pleasant man), Vidrio also asked him if he had ever seen flesh burn," the warrant states.
When asked about the wood cutting, Vidrio told investigators, “I was told to cut the wood and leave it there," the warrant states.
Vidrio is being held Wednesday on $500,000 bail. Cannon said additional arrests are likely.
