Man who allegedly forced girl to watch killing of boyfriend before she was slain convicted 4 years after teens found in Utah mine shaft

The case of a teenage couple killed and tossed down an deserted mine shaft culminated in homicide convictions Friday for a Utah man who prosecutors mentioned killed the pair as a result of he discovered them hanging out along with his girlfriend. Jarrod Baum, 45, faces as much as life in jail after a jury discovered him responsible of two counts of aggravated homicide, aggravated kidnapping and different counts within the 2017 slayings after a monthlong trial.

Brelynne “Breezy” Otteson, 17, and Riley Powell, 18, disappeared days after Christmas. Their sure and stabbed our bodies had been discovered months later, in March 2018, in Utah’s west desert, 100 ft down an deserted mine shaft.

“It is lengthy overdue, however we did it, we did it, the state did it. We’re right here and we obtained justice for the youngsters,” Amanda Davis, the aunt of Breezy Otteson, informed KUTV.

Prosecutors mentioned they died after assembly up with a pal, Morgan Lewis, on Dec. 30 at her dwelling in Eureka, a former silver mining city. Whereas they had been there, her boyfriend, Baum, returned dwelling. He grew indignant as a result of he had forbidden Lewis from having male mates over, and she or he beforehand dated Powell.

Lewis informed police her boyfriend tied up Otteson and Powell, duct-taped their mouths and threw them behind Powell’s Jeep. Then he drove them, together with Lewis, to the positioning of an deserted mine exterior city.

There, he beat and stabbed Powell earlier than chopping Ottenson’s throat, then tossed them down, prosecutors mentioned.

“He retaliated in opposition to Riley and Morgan and made her watch so she would know that is what occurs once you break my guidelines,” mentioned prosecutor Ryan McBride, Fox13 reported.

The couple’s household and mates looked for months earlier than Lewis was pulled over throughout an unrelated visitors cease on March 25. She finally agreed to cooperate with police.

A lot of the prosecution’s case was primarily based on her testimony, which was questioned by the protection. Lawyer Dallas Younger mentioned there was an absence of DNA proof linking the slayings to Baum

“You can not consider (Lewis), and also you can’t be satisfied past an affordable doubt,” he argued, in line with KSL.

Prosecutors countered that Lewis and Baum had burnt and bleached vital proof, obliterating DNA.

Prosecutors initially sought the loss of life penalty, however Utah County Lawyer David Leavitt later took it off the desk as he vowed to now not pursue capital punishment.

Leavitt mentioned Friday that extra assets had been used on this case than another within the historical past of Utah County.

“Whereas a conviction like it will by no means carry again neither Riley nor Breezy, I hope that right this moment’s responsible verdict will in some measure start the therapeutic course of for the victims of this crime,” Leavitt mentioned following the decision. “My coronary heart goes out to the victims of this crime, their households and mates. They’ve gone by means of an unspeakable ordeal.”

Leavitt mentioned sentencing was scheduled for June 1, and prosecutors can be in search of life with out the potential of parole.