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.”
A Utah physician is warning that 21 data centers in various stages of development could significantly worsen air quality along the Wasatch Front.
Dr. Brian Moench, with Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, said the planned data centers are cause for alarm. Each facility is expected to generate its own electricity using natural gas power plants.
While natural gas is cleaner than coal, Moench said it still produces nitrogen oxide, which contributes significantly to ozone, particulate formation, and smog.
“There’s no safe level of air pollution. All of it is harmful, even at the very lowest doses,” Moench said.
Moench said health advocates have legitimate reasons to be concerned about what the facilities could mean for public health in the region.
“There is a real legitimate concern on the part of any health advocates about what this impact will mean to the Wasatch Front and public health if all these data centers are built or even if just a few of them are, and that’s not to address the impact on the Great Salt Lake shrinking up and becoming a toxic dust bowl. That’s the next leg of this argument,” he said.
Moench also raised concerns about electronic waste. As computer chips and equipment become obsolete and are replaced, he said the volume of e-waste produced is something no one has yet addressed.
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UTAH COUNTY, May 11, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Two males, ages 14 and 19, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after the side-by-side they were riding rolled down the side of a mountain.
Utah County Sheriff deputies and Santaquin police responded to the 6:07 p.m. call. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene, in the Pole Canyon area, as was a Department of Public Safety helicopter with a hoist in case it was needed, Sgt. Austin Edwards, Utah County Sheriff‘s Office, told Gephardt Daily.
“Eventually, rescue workers were able to make it to the spot on the hill where the vehicle had come to rest, and they were able to secure the victims, stabilize the victims, and get them back down the hill again to where the helicopters were waiting,” Edwards said.
“The 19-year-old male was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and the 14 year old was transported to Primary Children’s in Lehi.”
Both were said to have critical injuries, which were not considered to be life threatening, Edwards said.
“The cause of the rollover is still under investigation, so we don’t have that information available just yet.”
Photos: Utah County Sheriff
In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.
Here are the final results, which show all the movement.
Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.
For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.
The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.
Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!
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