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CASTLE DALE, Emery County — A man was beaten to death, apparently with a can of chili, during a drunken argument in Emery County over the weekend, according to police.
Zachary James Tuttle, 37, of St. George, was arrested Sunday and charged Wednesday in 7th District Court with murder and aggravated kidnapping, first-degree felonies; aggravated child abuse and obstruction of justice, second-degree felonies; and intoxication, a class C misdemeanor.
Late Saturday night, Emery County sheriff's deputies were called to a store where a 14-year-old boy was waiting outside to meet them. He said that his father, Tuttle, had been drinking with another man about a block away and that the two began to fight "and that his father was beating the male pretty bad," according to a police booking affidavit.
"He stated that the fight was over Zach trying to get (his son) to drink. (The boy) stated that the male subject was trying to stop Zach. He stated that Zach backhanded (the boy) in the mouth and knocked him down," the affidavit states.
After the boy was hit, he backed away into another room and his father followed. "He told the (the boy) to go sit on the couch or he would kill him," according to charging documents. "Zach then returned to where the victim was laying and started to punch him in the face."
The boy made his way to the living room where he comforted the dogs, but was still afraid to leave the home.
"He stated that Zach told him to shut up or he would kill him. He said that Zach went and got back on top of the victim and began hitting him again. The (boy) stated that he finally decided to run out the door to get help," the charges state.
"I asked (the boy) if his father was still at the residence and he stated he believes he is and that he thinks his father killed the male subject," the arresting deputy wrote in the affidavit.
The deputy then went to the nearby Castle Dale residence. Tuttle opened the door and the deputy reported observing blood "all over" his hands.
"Zach stumbled and I had to hold him from falling because of being intoxicated. I asked Zach about the male subject who lived there and he stated that he was fine," the deputy wrote.
Tuttle was placed in handcuffs as the deputy searched the rest of the home. The victim was found lying in a pool of blood.
"I tried to find a pulse on the neck of the male subject but was unable to find one. It appeared that the male subject had been beaten severely," the arrest report states. "After an EMT checked on the male subject it was confirmed that the male subject was deceased."
Charging documents filed Wednesday further note that "there was a can of chili next to the victim's body that was covered in blood. I was advised that it appeared it was used to hit the victim." Originally, police said a can of soup was found next to the body.
The name of the victim has not yet been released.
