A Utah man and his wife were found dead in a suspected murder-suicide on Thursday afternoon, days after he reflected on being a “crappy person” in his final chilling social media post.
Olin Johnson, 57, is accused of fatally shooting Kerilyn Johnson, 52, before turning the gun on himself inside their $1.34-million American Fork, Utah home, according to KUTV.
Police have not disclosed a motive for the killing, but said a family member discovered their parents’ bodies.
Olin Johnson is accused of fatally shooting his wife Kerilyn Johnson before turning the gun on himself inside their million-dollar American Fork home. Kerilyn Johnson/Facebook
Neighbors of the couple said they were playing softball with them the night before the shooting, and didn’t notice any problems as Olin hinted at future plans, the outlet reported.
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The couple celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary in April.
Before the tragedy, Olin shared his concerning thoughts and love for his motorcycle.
“No matter how crappy a person I am, motorcycles always love me back. Oh and skiing. Skiing loves me too,” Olin’s post on June 18 read alongside pictures of him riding his bike and skiing.
Olin’s account featured a bio that read “father to 6 great kids and one Beautiful wife,” and also featured his family, especially Kerilyn.
“The family is requesting privacy as they grieve their loss. We express our most profound and sincere condolences to the family and friends of Olin and Kerilyn,” the American Fork Police said.
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According to his LinkedIn, Olin is listed as the owner of Simtek Modular, a “service company that makes modular panels for force-on-force training.”
The page alleges the company has worked on projects with the US Border Patrol, FBI and Utah County Sheriff’s Office.
Police have not disclosed a motive for the killings. Olin Johnson/InstagramThe couple had built the million-dollar home in American Fork back in 2022. KUTV 2 News Salt Lake City/YouTube
Recent posts showcased the couple’s trip to Australia, where they celebrated Kerilyn’s birthday and a separate post praising her breadmaking.
Kerilyn Johnson was an adjunct faculty member at the BYU School of Music where she taught several courses over the last two years.
She is credited with performing in multiple main stage productions and performed in throughout the US, Russia and Baltic States while completing her bachelor’s degree.
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“Currently, she does studio work locally and maintains her private studio at home, in addition to being a mother of six,” her bio read.
Days before the tragic murder-suicide, Olin shared his concerning thoughts and love for his motorcycle. Olin Johnson/InstagramThe couple shared six children together. GoFundMe
She was remembered as a generous friend that would be missed.
“Kerilyn was literally one of the most generous, kind, supportive people that I have ever known,” Gayle Lockwood told KUTV.
Lockwood, a retired voice teacher at BYU, said she had Johnson as a student and called her a friend.
“She is a light that will be missed in the world,” she added.
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A GoFundMe was created by a family friend to raise funds for the Johnson children who have to make funeral arrangements.
Kerilyn Johnson was an adjunct faculty member at the BYU School of Music where she taught several courses over the last two years.She also did studio work locally and maintains her private studio at home. Olin Johnson/Instagram
“With the sudden passing of Olin and Kerilyn Lowe Johnson many are devastated and desire to show love and support to their six children as they navigate this tragedy,” the crowdfunding read.
“It is hoped that they would not need to shoulder the financial burden of paying for funeral expenses and other unexpected costs over the coming weeks and months.”
WEBER COUNTY, Utah — She was a good Samaritan, stopping to help when she saw a crashed car, but tragically, that decision ended her life.
According to the Utah Highway Patrol, just before 6 a.m. on Friday, a man and woman were traveling along I-84 in Weber Canyon when they saw a crashed car on the side of the road.
They got out to help, but then they saw another car coming with its brakes locked up.
“The two individuals that were standing outside of the vehicle ran to avoid being hit. One went one direction, the other went towards the side of the barrier, jumped over the barrier, thinking it was solid on the other side, and fell in between the two bridge structures below,” said Corporal Eric Prescott with Utah Highway Patrol.
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Woman dies after falling over I-84 barrier while assisting accident in Weber Canyon
Woman dies after falling over I-84 barrier while assisting accident in Weber Canyon
Prescott said they were from out of town and didn’t know the area very well, and unfortunately, he’s seen this happen before.
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“About 15 years ago. I had another crash that occurred. Had 29 cars that were involved in a similar situation,” he said. “he stepped out to help, and he slipped on the barrier and fell.”
FOX 13 News asked if something could be fixed.
“We love that people want to help, but you also need to consider your safety also. So, it’s a pitch-black situation, you need to be cognizant and aware of like, hey, is this risk worth it of a vehicle that’s in the dark around the corner, no one’s going to be able to see you, and so you just have to weigh that risk,” Prescott said.
No other injuries were reported.
Prescott said they also have trauma resources available for the other drivers on the scene.
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“They didn’t do anything wrong, they were involved in a crash, the bridge was icy. Didn’t contribute anything to the death of this individual, but there’s still going to be those feelings that are going to be involved in it,” Prescott said. “We were able to give some information, these resources, to kind of help give them some closure, to help them to know that, hey, this wasn’t your fault.”
FOX 13 News visited gas stations and rest stops around the area, and while no one wanted to be on camera, each person said even after hearing the story, they would still want to get out and help someone in their time of need.
UHP stated that it takes them 24 hours to notify the next of kin, but they’re hoping to release the identification and other information about the investigation in the coming days.
Jackson has been writing about sports for the Deseret News since 2023.
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No. 9 BYU (14-1, 2-0) vs. Utah (8-7, 0-2)
Tip: Saturday, 8 p.m. MST
Venue: Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City
TV: ESPN
Streaming: espn.com/live
BYU radio broadcast: 102.7 FM/1160 AM/Sirius XM 143
Utah radio broadcast: 92.1 FM/700 AM
Series: Utahleads, 79-72 since 1949 (most recent meeting: 2025)
The trends
For BYU: 14-1 on the season, No. 10 in KenPom, averaging 88.2 points scored and 66.7 points allowed per game
For Utah: 8-7 on the season, No. 131 in KenPom, averaging 80.3 points scored and 80.1 points allowed per game
Players to watch
For BYU: Forward AJ Dybantsa, guard Richie Saunders, guard Robert Wright III
For Utah: Guard Terrance Brown, guard Don McHenry, forward Keanu Dawes
Utah forward Keanu Dawes (8) dunks the ball during a game against the Arizona Wildcats held at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
SOUTH OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) — There is a heavy police presence in the area of Harrison Blvd in South Ogden. ABC4 is working to learn more.
While police have not confirmed any information, ABC4 has acquired footage from a bystander that shows law enforcement detaining one individual. The individual can be seen handcuffed and without a shirt.
Courtesy: David Blanton
Several residents have also reported seeing over a dozen police vehicles heading to the area and reported hearing gunshots on social media.
Courtesy: Kade Garner // KTVX
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Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene, including Davis County SWAT, Weber County Sheriff’s Department, and Morgan County Sheriff’s Department. Officers from Riverton Police Department, Roy Police Department, Clinton Police Department, and Layton police Department all responded to the scene.
Law enforcement also used several drones and several armored vehicles responded to the scene. Additionally, it appears at least one person was transported from the scene by ambulance
Courtesy: Randy Ferrin
At this time, law enforcement has not confirmed any details regarding this incident. However, they appeared to have cleared from the scene.
This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as more information becomes available.
