Utah
Two decades after a Utah stabbing death, DNA evidence leads to an arrest
DNA evidence led to an arrest in Utah in a fatal 2005 stabbing that went unsolved for almost 20 years, the Salt Lake County sheriff announced.
Mark Munoz, 53, was arrested Thursday on a murder charge in the killing of Jason Royter, who was found dead from stab wounds in his home in Magna on Aug. 6, 2005, the sheriff’s office said Friday.
The break in the case came when Munoz, described as someone homeless who moves around a lot, was accused of committing a crime in another state and had a DNA sample entered into an index system, Sheriff’s Detective Ben Pendern said.
“These kinds of cases take a toll on families, and this family has not given up,” Sheriff Rosie Rivera said at a news conference. “We don’t give up, either.”
Royter was a 33-year-old father of two when his girlfriend discovered him dead, officials said. The case went cold after about 10 years, and the tips stopped coming in.
Royter’s son, Andrew Royter, was 12 when his father was killed. At a news conference last week, he said learning in a phone call Thursday that an arrest had been made felt like a giant weight lifting off his chest.
“I used to be an angry person,” he said. “After last night, I feel like I had 10 years of therapy hit me all at once. I just feel so much better.”
Andrew Royter remembered his father and the music they shared, in particular the band Alien Ant Farm. He was introduced to the music by his father, and it still occupies a place in his heart.
“He was a great person, a great father, a great brother, uncle, son — you name it,” Andrew Royter said.
The hit on the DNA sample from Munoz that allegedly connects him to the killing came in last year. Authorities did not disclose what steps were then taken because of the ongoing investigation, but they said that Munoz did not have a stable address and that he was difficult to find.
A criminal case in the slaying did not appear to be in online court records Monday night, and it was not clear whether Munoz had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
The case remains an active investigation, Rivera said, and more evidence is being sought. She asked that anyone who remembers Munoz or the day the killing happened to contact authorities.
“As of right now, we don’t have a real motive. Mr. Munoz was not willing to speak to us,” Rivera said. “So he knows what happened; we don’t.”
KANOSH, Utah — The United States Geological Survey recorded multiple earthquakes near Kanosh Sunday morning, each of them having an average magnitude of 3.0.
The first earthquake, magnitude 3.0, was detected just after 12:30 a.m., with the epicenter located half a mile south of Kanarraville.
The second quake, magnitude 3.2, was detected around 5:45 a.m., with the epicenter nearly five miles south-southwest of Kanosh. This was followed by two more quakes in the same area, a magnitude 2.5 quake coming in around 6:35 a.m., followed by a third around 7:45 a.m, which measured at magnitude 3.3.
This has since been followed by another quake, measuring at magnitude 3.7, being detected around 8:45 a.m. The geographic location in the USGS report places the epicenter approximately over two miles south of the Dry Wash Trail, about six miles south-southwest of Kanosh.
FOX 13 News previously spoke with researchers at University of Utah, who said that earthquake swarms are relatively common. A study published in 2023 posits that swarms may be triggered by geothermal activity. The findings came after a series of seismic swarms were detected in central Utah, within the vicinity of three geothermal power plants.
The study also says that the swarms fall into a different category than aftershocks that typically follow large quakes, such as the magnitude 5.7 earthquake that hit the Wasatch Fault back in 2020.
Utah
Embattled Utah Rep. Trevor Lee loses county GOP convention — but wins enough support to make primary
Earlier in the week, House Speaker Mike Schultz said lawmakers asked the attorney general to investigate allegations of fraud and bribery against Lee.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, running for reelection, addresses delegates during the Davis County Republican Party nominating convention at Syracuse High School on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
Also from Utah Eats: A Utah baker ends his run on a Food Network competition; Lucky Slice’s territory grows.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Yeti, a Himalayan-themed bar in Cottonwood Heights, is pictured on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
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