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SALT LAKE CITY — A homeless man was charged Thursday with using a paver stone to randomly attack people, killing one man and injuring at least three others.
Kepedro Dedrick Kegler, 42, is charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated murder, a first-degree felony; two counts of attempted aggravated murder, a first-degree felony; and aggravated assault, a third-degree felony.
On July 25, Kegler attacked several people sleeping under an overpass at 550 W. 500 South, according to charging documents. One man "suffered several deep lacerations to his head and face" before running off to call police from a local TRAX station.
Another man told police he was sleeping under the overpass and woke up in the hospital with injuries to his head and face, which he did not remember receiving, according to court documents.
A third man told investigators he was playing a game on his cellphone at 471 W. 500 South "when he was attacked from behind" by a man who kicked and hit him several times while yelling, "Die, die, die," the charges state.
After that attack, police say Kegler approached Kevin Joseph McCann, 55, from behind while McCann was sitting down looking at a tablet. Kegler "picked up a paver block, raised it over his head with both of his hands, and threw the paver block directly onto Mr. McCann's head," the charges state. Kegler then allegedly picked up another paver block and again used both hands to slam it onto McCann's head. McCann died from his injuries.
Each paver block, which were being used for a retaining wall, weighs 53 pounds, according to investigators.
In May of 2016, Kegler was arrested after allegedly throwing two cinder blocks through the glass doors of Homewood Suites, 423 W. 300 South. As officers attempted to arrest him, he fought with them. Police used Tasers and pepper spray to take him into custody. The officers noted that their Tasers "had little effect" on Kegler who also tried to grab a Taser from one of the officers, according to charging documents. The case wasn't resolved until July 11, however, when he was placed on probation and released from jail after serving a short amount of time, court records state.
