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MURRAY — A man has been arrested in connection with the death of his girlfriend, who police say he had locked in a storage unit when it caught fire on Saturday.
Alexander Wardell, 30, was arrested and booked into Salt Lake County Jail on suspicion of kidnapping and negligent homicide.
Murray firefighters and police responded to a fire at a storage unit located at 4608 S. 900 East on Saturday afternoon. Investigators discovered a deceased woman and dog inside the unit, according to police.
Wardell identified the woman as his girlfriend, according to a police affidavit. The woman's identity has not been released.
Wardell told police that he had closed the door to the unit while she was inside and placed the lock on the door before leaving on foot, according to a probable cause statement. While he had left the area, the unit caught on fire and because the unit had been locked, the woman was unable to escape.
The lock remained on the door until firefighters were able to open the door and discovered the woman, according to police. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Due to the lock being placed on the door, Wardell has been arrested in connection with negligent homicide, as well as kidnapping due to "detaining an individual in circumstances exposing the individual to risk of bodily injury," according to the police affidavit.
Wardell is being held without bail.
