Crime
Multiple suspects arrested for their alleged roles in shooting and killing 17-year-old KayLee Dutton
The sheriff did not disclose the ages of the suspects.
Iron County authorities are urging the public to come forward with information after 17-year-old KayLee Joan Dutton was pursued, shot, and killed on Friday night along a remote road northwest of Cedar City.
Sheriff Kenneth Carpenter announced on Saturday afternoon that three male suspects had been apprehended at an apartment near 3100 West and 1600 North in Cedar City following the execution of a search warrant. A fourth arrest is anticipated at another location.
“We feel pretty good that we have our suspects in custody at this time,” Carpenter said during the announcement.
The sheriff did not disclose the ages of the suspects.
He stated that investigators identified a truck potentially involved in the incident, which led them to the suspects.
Following this lead, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the apartment near the location where the victim and her passenger reportedly realized they were being followed. The arrests were made without further incident.
Deputies were dispatched to the area of Midvalley Road and 4300 West at approximately 10:30 p.m. Friday after receiving 911 reports of gunfire.
Upon arrival, deputies found the injured teen and immediately began life-saving measures. She was transported to Cedar City Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
The victim was traveling with another girl in her truck when the suspects allegedly followed them for several miles in their own vehicle.
According to investigators, the suspects eventually pulled alongside the victimโs vehicle and opened fire.
The gunfire struck the teen, causing her to lose control of her truck, which veered off the road, crashed through a fence, and came to a stop northwest of the intersection.
The Iron County Sheriffโs Office is asking for any information that may assist with the investigation.
Specifically, authorities are requesting details from anyone who may have seen the teenโs red pickup truck being followed by a dark-colored truck or SUV on Lund Highway between 1600 North and Midvalley Road or heading west on Midvalley Road toward the Three Peaks Campground.
“Any information could be crucial to the ongoing investigation,” the sheriffโs office stated.
Additionally, residents and businesses with surveillance footage from the area during the late hours of Friday night are encouraged to contact law enforcement.
Sheriff Carpenter confirmed that this case is now classified as a homicide investigation.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of the young woman who lost her life during this tragic act of violence,” the Iron County Sheriffโs Office said in a statement.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Iron County Sheriffโs Office at (435) 867-7500 or the Cedar Dispatch non-emergency line at (435) 586-9445.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subjectโs vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorneyโs Office.