Utah warrant connects man with Iowa killing

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TOOELE — The body of a Des Moines woman found hidden in her Iowa house had her head "wrapped in duct tape," according to a newly unsealed search warrant affidavit filed in Utah.

The affidavit released Monday is tied to the death of Gloria Gary and the arrest of an Iowa man in Tooele County who is now charged with murdering her.

Kyle Alexander Jepson, 22, of Des Moines, is accused of killing Gary, 53. Gary's body was discovered Jan. 12 "buried under various items in the basement of Gary’s home," according to a warrant filed in 3rd District Court. Gary had been missing since Jan. 3.

The break in the case came when a Utah Highway Patrol trooper stopped to assist a motorist whose car had run out of gas on I-80 near Tooele. As the trooper was assisting the driver, he began to suspect "something else was going on" due to the driver's behavior and demeanor, said UHP Sgt. Todd Royce.

Troopers are always looking for "things that are out of the ordinary" on every stop, he said.

The trooper noticed that "part of the red Honda had been painted black with spray paint" and "the front passenger window had been broken out and covered up with duct tape," according to the warrant.

The trooper soon discovered that the car was registered to Gary, who was listed at that time as "missing or endangered," the warrant states. Jepson, who had black paint on his hands, had warrants out for his arrest for burglary and was taken into custody.

Based on information collected from that arrest, the UHP notified authorities in Iowa.

"With this new information, the Des Moines Police Department were finally able to execute on a search warrant at Gloria’s home," according to a post on the Finding Gloria Gary Facebook page. "At 1 a.m., we received a call from the Des Moines police that a body had been found, concealed in the home, and that it was Gloria. She had been deliberately hidden in the home by an assailant."

The Des Moines Register quoted police as saying that until Jepson's arrest in Utah, they didn't have probable cause to execute a warrant on Gary's house. Family members and even police officers had been inside the house previously, but her body was well-hidden, the paper reported. There was no known prior connection between Jepson and Gary.

Investigators also learned Jepson and the Honda were spotted in Parowan on Jan. 11, the affidavit states.

Royce declined to comment Monday on what authorities believe Jepson's final destination was or if he was only passing through the state.

Investigators in Utah served a search warrant on the Honda Jepson had been driving. Inside, they found a lot of items that suggested Jepson planned to be on the road for awhile, such as a tent, three toothbrushes, several shirts, nine pairs of socks, blankets, a large paintbrush pack, six spray paint cans, duct tape and a tarp taken from the exterior of the passenger door, according to the warrant.

As of Monday, Jepson remained in the Tooele County Jail awaiting extradition back to Iowa.

"The family is heartbroken, confused and bewildered. And we really, really miss her. Gloria had respect and love for all of humanity. She believed that the Lord is just and works in his own way and time. Despite our broken hearts, we will follow Gloria's lead. We will go forward with forgiveness in our hearts. We will pray for guidance and grace," the Facebook page states.

Jepson was one of four homicide suspects wanted in other states who were arrested in eight days by UHP troopers.

On Jan. 15, murder suspects in separate cases out of Ohio and Arizona were arrested in Utah. On Jan. 20, a man wanted in another Colorado homicide case was arrested in Utah.