Utah Department of Public Safety

Troopers Assist in the Arrest of Four Out of State Homicide Suspects

Contact:
Sgt. Todd Royce, Utah Highway Patrol
Phone: 801-556-8261

The Department of Public Safety’s Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) and State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) have had a busy 2017, so far. Since January 12, Utah Highway Patrol Troopers have assisted in the arrest or investigation into four homicide suspects in cooperation with out of state law enforcement agencies. Below is a summary of each incident:

January 12, 2017: On the evening of January 12, a UHP Trooper in Tooele County responded to a motorist assist call at milepost 65 on I-80 westbound. During this assist, the Trooper identified the driver of the vehicle as Kyle Jepson of Des Moines Iowa. Jepson was arrested for an outstanding Burglary-2nd degree warrant out of Iowa. Jepson was driving a Honda Civic passenger car associated with a missing person case in Iowa.

Agents from Utah Department of Public Safety’s State Bureau of Investigation immediately began to coordinate with Detectives from the Des Moines Police Department. Agents from the State Bureau of Investigation continue to coordinate with authorities in Iowa in regard to this ongoing investigation.

January 15, 2017: UHP Troopers received word of a pursuit coming into Utah from Mesa County, Colorado. When the vehicle entered Utah state lines, deputies from Colorado terminated the pursuit and notified UHP Troopers of the vehicle description. Troopers located the vehicle on I-70 at MP 175. Spikes were effectively deployed at MP 169. At that time, the suspects exited the freeway in Green River and fled on foot. After a short foot pursuit, the suspects were taken into custody.

During questioning by the State Bureau of Investigation, it was discovered that one of the individuals was considered a key suspect in a homicide in Ohio. The second individual had multiple warrants for his arrest in Ohio. The suspects and case were booked into the Grand County jail.

January 15, 2017: UHP and DPS Criminal Interdiction teams are working and assisting Arizona investigators as they looked for homicide suspect. See attached press release from Tempe Police.

January 20, 2017: A vehicle was being pursued by Piute County Sheriff’s Office in assistance with UHP Troopers, Garfield County Sheriffs and a DNR officer. The car was successfully spiked and came to a stop off of MP 133. The suspect was taken into custody without incident. It was found that the 27 year old in the vehicle was wanted out of Colorado for homicide and other criminal activity. The two individuals in the vehicle were arrested and the case is being handled by Piute and Garfield County Sheriffs.

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