Salt Lake man arrested in ‘brutal’ killing also assaulted doctor, guards, police say

Salt Lake man arrested in ‘brutal’ killing also assaulted doctor, guards, police say

(Scott G Winterton, KSL, File)


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SALT LAKE CITY — A man believed to be high on methamphetamine is accused of beating a man to death in his apartment over the weekend in what police are calling an extremely brutal killing.

William Dennis Bradley, 54, of Salt Lake City, was arrested for investigation of murder, vehicle theft, assault on a police officer, assault on a health care provider, assault by a prisoner and two counts of assault.

The investigation began about 1 p.m. Friday when Salt Lake police were notified that a golf cart used by maintenance workers was stolen from the Jefferson School Apartments, 1099 S. West Temple. Officers found Bradley driving the golf cart near 1300 S. Main, said Salt Lake police detective Greg Wilking.

When police stopped Bradley they discovered he was “covered in blood,” Wilking said.

“In talking with (Bradley), he stated (he had) ‘been in a fight with the Terminator and killed him,’” according to a police affidavit.

Due to the amount of blood on Bradley, officers went to his apartment to investigate. “During this welfare check they encountered a deceased body inside the bedroom,” the affidavit states.

The body was identified as Robert Carter, 58, who was believed to be homeless. Bradley killed him in “an extremely violent and brutal manner inside his apartment,” police wrote in the affidavit.

Wilking said detectives believe Carter died of blunt force trauma. Investigators did not know Monday of any prior connection between the two men.

Bradley was taken to a local hospital to be treated for minor injuries. But while there, he “became combative and assaulted the emergency room doctor, two security guards” and a police officer, the affidavit states, and “acted in extremely bizarre behavior.”

An emergency room doctor stated that Bradley was under the influence of meth and “has probably been up for days,” the report says.

Medical staff had to sedate Bradley to stop him from assaulting workers, police said.

When he was cleared by medical staff, Bradley was taken to the Salt Lake City Police Department for questioning. But “he refused to stay awake and answer any questions and stated only that he wanted to go to sleep,” according to the affidavit.

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Pat Reavy is a longtime police and courts reporter. He joined the KSL.com team in 2021, after many years of reporting at the Deseret News and KSL NewsRadio before that.

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