- A Bluffdale man, Jaxson Clift, is accused of fatally stabbing another man.
- The incident occurred in Springville after an apparent disagreement.
- Clift was arrested with injuries consistent with being in a recent altercation, police reported.
SPRINGVILLE — A 23-year-old Bluffdale man is accused of fatally stabbing another man in Springville over the weekend.
Jaxson Clift was booked into the Utah County Jail for investigation of murder, aggravated assault resulting in serious injury, obstruction of justice and criminal mischief.
On Saturday, about 3:15 a.m., Springville police were called to 1173 S. 1190 East "on a report of a male victim ... bleeding everywhere" who had possibly been stabbed, a police booking affidavit states.
The victim's girlfriend told officers that he "has been having a disagreement with an individual," according to the affidavit. After receiving a text message, the victim went outside his residence and got "into an altercation with another individual, then return(ed) to the residence bleeding."
Police did not disclose what the disagreement may have been about.
Detectives reviewed the victim's phone and found a text message just prior to the stabbing "which was a picture of the victim's car in the driveway of his home. The victim and Clift were confirmed to have been together earlier in the night based upon a traffic stop in which both individuals were located in the vehicle together," the affidavit states.
Additionally, responding officers viewed messages on the victim's phone "that may be indicative of a personal issue between Clift and the victim. This information further supports (police's) belief that the altercation observed on the doorbell camera was likely between Clift and the victim, which resulted in the fatal stabbing of the victim."
Investigators say the men are "recent acquaintances," and a string of text messages between the two started just before 5 p.m. on Friday. By 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, the frequency of the messages increased, the affidavit states.
Clift's message included "why you scared," "pull up where I work you'll have more problems than me I promise you that" and "good luck finding me" before sending a picture of the victim's car about four minutes before the stabbing was reported," according to the affidavit.
Police found blood near the victim's vehicle as well as the tires of that vehicle and two others parked on the street in front of the residence slashed, the affidavit states.
The Utah County Major Crimes Unit and Metro SWAT team arrested Clift at his home in Salt Lake County without further incident. Arresting officers noted that Clift had "multiple injuries to his arms and legs consistent with an individual who has been in a fight or altercation," according to the affidavit. "Clift also has multiple other observable injuries to his arms/hands that appear recent and consistent with having been in a fight or altercation."
