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Sandra Yi Reporting Members of the family of a Bountiful teenager packed a Davis County courtroom to see the young man accused of killing his mother.
"It was very hard to see Jeremy. He's caused a lot of frustration, fear, anger."
Prosecutors have charged Jeremy Hauck with murder. Officers found his mother's body in their basement freezer. Police believe he shot her in the head and slit her throat.
Jeremy Hauck said very little during his brief appearance. The judge appointed him an attorney. One of his friends showed up for the hearing. So did family members, who came face-to-face with the teen for the first time since his mother's murder.
John Garlock: "I have the chills. I was sweating. It was scary."
Wearing a red jumpsuit and shackles, Jeremy Hauck showed no emotion when he walked into the courtroom. Family members sensed a small smirk.
John Garlock: "Yeah I sensed a smirk. It was nice to see him in chains. I want to know that he's not comfortable."
Hauck said only four words to the judge's clerk, responding 'yes' and 'yes it is', when asked to confirm his name and address. He glanced at family members, who packed the courtroom, on his way out.
John Garlock: "I want him to know that we are all aware of what happened. I want him to know this is not something we're going to forget and let go."
Hauck is charged with the grisly murder of his mother Laura. Search warrant documents reveal police took pieces of bloody carpet, guns, ammunition, blood-soaked clothing and newspapers from their Bountiful condo.
Steve Major, Davis County Attorney's Office: "We have collected most of the evidence. The situation we're at right now is a lot of it has been sent to the state crime lab for analysis and we're waiting for those analysis to come back, and that may take a couple of weeks."
When police caught up to Hauck in a Missoula, Montana motel, the teen was heavily armed. Detectives brought him back to Utah Wednesday night. Authorities say he isn't talking. That's the hardest part for family members.
John Garlock: "I want to know why he did it, but the reason it's hard to come up with the question is, I know I won't get an answer. I think it'll be a long time before we do."
After the hearing the judge brought Hauck back into the courtroom and ordered him not to have any contact with anyone without his attorney's consent. He's being held on 300 thousand dollars bail. Hauck will be back in court, September 6th.
The Davis County prosecutor's office currently has eight homicide cases waiting for their day in court. Davis County attorney, Mel Wilson says in his 20 years, he's never seen anything like this.
Wilson says he's anticipating that all the homicides being tried through his office will have an effect on the budget.
