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PROVO — Hunter Lamoreaux, 27, pleaded guilty to murder Thursday after shooting his neighbor multiple times on the neighbor's front porch in May 2022.
According to charging documents, Lamoreaux told police he had been planning to kill his neighbor Gregory Shaffer, 42, for two months, as he "was upset regarding a pending divorce and custody battle between the victim and (Shaffer's) estranged wife."
"Hunter stated he did not feel the victim deserved custody of his children," said a police affidavit.
When Lamoreaux walked onto Shaffer's porch, he told officers in a recorded interview that he heard the TV on inside. He said he continued knocking until Shaffer answered the door. Lamoreaux asked Shaffer for a glass of water and when Shaffer came back with a glass, Lamoreaux began shooting.
He said the first shot misfired. "I cocked it again and just started firing. ... I wanted to make sure he was dead, so I just kept shooting," he told police, according to the charges.
Springville police detective Kim Story said Lamoreaux also told police he aimed at Shaffer's heart and head to ensure he could not be revived when paramedics got to the scene.
Defense attorney Greg Skordas sought a competency evaluation for Lamoreaux in July 2023, explaining in the motion he had concerns about the man's ability to "appreciate the gravity" of the charges filed against him. Fourth District Judge Robert Lund officially found Lamoreaux to be competent.
The possible punishment for murder, a first-degree felony, is 15 years to life in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 19.
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