Crime
Five Family Members Found Dead in West Valley City Home in Suspected Homicide
At this time, it remains unclear whether the 17-year-old boy is a suspect or a victim.
Tragedy struck a quiet West Valley City neighborhood on Tuesday when five family members, including three children, were found dead in their home in what police are investigating as a homicide.
The discovery was made at a residence on the 3700 block of Oxford Way in the afternoon, according to Roxeanne Vainuku, a spokeswoman for the West Valley City Police Department.
Concerns arose when a relative of the family attempted to contact a woman living in the home over several days but received no response.
On Monday night, officers conducted a welfare check at the residence but found no signs of an emergency or criminal activity.
The situation escalated when the woman failed to show up for work on Tuesday. Concerned, the relative entered the home through the garage, where she discovered a 17-year-old boy suffering from a gunshot wound.
Police were called to the scene around 2:10 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers found the injured teenager in the garage. He was promptly transported to a hospital and remains in critical condition with significant injuries.
Inside the home, officers made a grim discovery: the bodies of five family members.
The victims were identified as a 42-year-old man, a 38-year-old woman, an 11-year-old boy, a 9-year-old girl, and a 2-year-old girl.
Police confirmed that all six individuals lived in the home and were part of the same family. Investigators are working to determine the sequence of events that led to the tragedy.
A search warrant has been obtained to further examine the property.
At this time, it remains unclear whether the 17-year-old boy is a suspect or a victim.
Police emphasized that the incident appears to be isolated and assured the public that there are no suspects at large.
The tragedy has left neighbors on the typically tranquil street in shock.
“This is just a total shock. I can’t believe this happened,” said Michael Webster, a neighbor who noted that nothing like this had ever occurred in their area before.
Another neighbor, Tristan Williams, expressed disbelief, saying, “You don’t really realize how real the world can be until it’s close to home.”
Neighbors also noted unusual activity in the days leading up to the discovery, including a family dog that had gone unfed.
As the investigation unfolds, police are focused on piecing together what happened inside the home and determining the circumstances surrounding this devastating incident.
The West Valley City community is reeling from the loss of an entire family and grappling with the unimaginable tragedy that has shaken their sense of safety and peace.
Jackson, Miss. – Authorities are investigating a violent assault and attempted robbery that took place in the stadium parking lot of the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC).
The incident occurred as the victim, identified as Morgan McGuire, was leaving work.
McGuire reported that she was approached by a stranger who initially demanded money.
However, despite her verbal and physical attempts to surrender her purse, the attacker ignored her offer and proceeded to assault her.
“He asked for my money, so I verbally and physically offered him my purse, but he ignored me. He threw me to the ground and kept beating me,” McGuire recalled.
During the assault, she was punched, choked, and thrown to the ground while her attacker repeatedly threatened to shoot her.
Although the suspect demanded her purse, McGuire noted that the attack did not appear to be motivated by robbery alone.
The assault only ended when a passerby intervened, which McGuire described as occurring “after what felt like forever.”
UMMC confirmed that the UMMC Police Department, in coordination with Capitol Police, is actively investigating the attack.
“We take seriously the safety of everyone on our campus and will continue to work with our partners, including Capitol Police and other law enforcement, to uphold this commitment,” UMMC stated.
Authorities have not yet released a description of the suspect, and it remains unclear whether any arrests have been made.
Officials urge anyone with information to come forward as the investigation continues.