'Die, die, die,' Utah man yelled while stabbing grandmother, charges state

SALT LAKE CITY — A Millcreek man who police say violently attacked his grandmother because he believed she was a demon has been charged with attempted murder.

In addition to that first-degree felony, Zachary Lance Raynor, 26, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with mayhem and aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult, both second-degree felonies.

On Oct. 14, Raynor called 911 to report “I just killed my grandma. I need somebody to come get me and throw me in jail,” according to charging documents.

When Unified police officers arrived at the house at 3452 E. Loren Von Circle (4410 South), they found Raynor on the front porch, “naked, covered in blood and holding a butcher knife,” the charges state.

Raynor’s 82-year-old grandfather, however, had already taken his 79-year-old wife to a nearby hospital before police arrived to be treated for multiple stab wounds. Unified officers responding to the hospital discovered the elderly woman had “multiple wounds on her face, head, ear, and her left wrist was almost complete amputated,” the charges state.

Raynor’s grandfather told detectives that earlier that morning, his grandson had confronted him and said, “You are God but she is a demon and must die,” charging documents state. Raynor then grabbed a butcher knife and ran into the master bedroom yelling “she needs to die, die, die” over and over.

Raynor went back to his room after apparently believing he had killed his grandmother, the charges state.

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Man who stabbed grandmother in Millcreek thought she was a 'demon,' court records show

A woman in her 70s was taken to a hospital in critical condition after being stabbed multiple times by her grandson early Monday morning, according to police.

A Unified officer noted in his jail booking affidavit that Raynor “appeared to be in a state of psychosis” during police interviews.

He already faces charges of criminal mischief and disorderly conduct for an alleged domestic violence situation in June. In that incident, Raynor allegedly got into an argument with his girlfriend and slapped food out of her hand, according to court records.

In December, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drug possession, and in November pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in another domestic violence-related case, according to court records.

Prosecutors have requested that Raynor be held without bail.

Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting the YWCA’s Women in Jeopardy program at 801-537-8600, or the confidential statewide Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-897-LINK (5465). Resources are also available online at udvc.org.

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