Prosecutors argue Tremonton man accused of killing cops 'terrorized the community'

BRIGHAM CITY — Prosecutors argued Wednesday that a Tremonton man "terrorized the community" through a "planned and premeditated ambush" on police, leading to the death of two cops in August.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Ryan Michael Bate, 33, of Tremonton, who was charged with two counts of aggravated murder, a capital offense.

Bate is accused of opening fire on police officers who had responded to his residence for a domestic violence call. The shots killed Tremonton-Garland police officer Eric Estrada, 31, and Sgt. Lee Sorensen, 56, and injured Box Elder County sheriff's deputy Mike Allred and his police K-9, Azula, a 3-year-old female Belgian Malinois.

Bate was visibly sobbing throughout his initial court appearance in August, and seemed just as distraught on Wednesday during his preliminary hearing. He was hunched over with his head held very low to obscure his face from court attendees throughout the hours-long hearing. Periodically, he grabbed tissues to wipe his nose and eyes.

Among the packed rows of the courtroom sat family members of the deceased officers who could be heard crying while evidence was presented.

The prosecution will give final arguments Thursday morning on why Bate should stand trial, but the defense indicated they will respond in writing over the next six weeks after obtaining a transcript of Wednesday's hearing.

Bate also faces 17 other charges, including four counts of attempted aggravated murder, a first-degree felony; endangering a police service dog, a third-degree felony; three counts of possessing an explosive, a second-degree felony; two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon with criminal intent, unlawful detention and threatening violence, class A misdemeanors; and two counts of domestic violence-related assault and three counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, class B misdemeanors.

"There is overwhelming evidence to support each and every charge," Chief Deputy Attorney Blair T. Wardle said. "The defendant repeatedly stated, 'I'm going to kill them all.' It is obvious he did everything he could to follow through on that threat."

'Send them away in caskets'

Wardle opened Wednesday's hearing with a detailed and extensive narrative of the incident.

"This case is about a planned and premeditated ambush that began with the defendant terrorizing his family and ended with him terrorizing the community," the prosecutor said.

Wardle said Bate and his wife had been arguing for several days and by the evening of Aug. 17, she was begging him to calm down. After realizing he wasn't going to, she called 911, then hung up.

The 911 dispatchers called back and she told them she was in an argument with her husband but he had since calmed down and didn't need help, Wardle said.

In a recorded interview with police that was played at the hearing, the wife explained Bate had repeatedly accused her of cheating on him and being a liar. She said he had been on meds, seen a psychiatrist, and attended marriage counseling with her.

She said her husband had gone for a drive, but came back even angrier and started drinking. The wife claims Bate slammed her head into a door, began threatening her and saying he would kill any cops that came.

"He's been wanting to get me arrested since I got him arrested," she said in the interview recording, referencing another domestic violence incident that occurred in 2024. She explained, in that case, she called police after Bate had physically abused her, but his family got involved and she felt pressured to drop the case.

She sent a photo of her injuries to her friend, who then told her she should record what was going on.

"You will hear the recordings and hear defendant repeatedly express his intent to murder officers and quote, 'send them away in caskets,'" Wardle said.

The recordings the wife took were played in court on Wednesday. Wardle said Bate began "making preparations" for the police to show up and called dispatch on his own phone and hung up.

"It was that last hangup call made by the defendant himself that led to Sgt. Lee Sorensen of the Tremonton-Garland Police Department getting dispatched," Wardle said.

'He's got a gun'

Sorensen arrived and spoke to Bate and his wife, but without evidence of a crime, he started to leave the scene, the prosecutor said.

Bate's wife explained in her interview that Bate would always put on a performance after fights such as making snot run down his face. Because he had made threats in the past without following through, she thought he was just "blowing smoke." She recounted she was "terrified" when he suddenly shot at the police car, especially since it was already leaving the area.

After his vehicle was shot, Sorensen radioed for backup and got out of his car to try to help Bate's wife, who was attempting to flee.

"Seeing her in distress, Sgt. Sorensen did what any great officer would do. He immediately rushed to help, protect and serve," Wardle said.

Bate's wife said she tried to warn Sorensen and yelled: "He's got a gun!" She said she heard another shot, heard Sorensen say "He shot me," and then saw him fall to the ground. She then fled into the shadows, as she was worried that she and the child she was holding would get shot.

Estrada then arrived on scene, saw his sergeant in need and went to help him, not knowing Bate was prepped and ready to shoot again, Wardle continued. Estrada was shot in the forehead and also died. Allred was en route to the call and arrived moments later. His car was shot twice and he and his K9 were injured by bullet fragments.

A neighbor heard the shots and, thinking they were fireworks, came to the area to investigate, the prosecution stated. When he saw the downed officers in the street, he tried to turn around and flee, but a shot was fired at his car, narrowly missing the driver.

By this point, Bate had the gun aimed at himself, Wardle alleges, and said two other neighbors came by the intersection, talked Bate down, then snatched his gun tackled him to secure him until more police arrived. Wardle said Bate then admitted he was the shooter and begged the officer to kill him. He also told police there were three Molotov cocktails in the garage.

Steve Zaccardi, the chief criminal investigator for Weber County Attorney's Office, was a lead investigator on the Bate case until he retired in February. Zaccardi testified about the validity of the wife's interview and recordings and explained what was happening in the dash-cam and body-cam footage from the night of the incident.

Zaccardi said there were three children present during the crime: a 16-year-old, a 2-year-old and a 1-year-old. According to court records, Bate's wife filed for divorce on Sept. 16, 2025.

Bate was also arrested and charged in 2024 for another domestic violence incident at the same house. Those charges were later dismissed, according to court records, but the Box Elder County Attorney's Office refiled those previous charges a few days after the cops' deaths. Bate is charged in that case with aggravated assault and three counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, third-degree felonies, and causing property damage, a class A misdemeanor.

The prosecution and defense will hear evidence for that case on Thursday.

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