Month: August 2025

CNN Newsource

By Pat Reavy

Click here for updates on this story

SPANISH FORK, Utah (KSL) — The man charged with capital murder in the death of Santaquin Police Sgt. Bill Hooser is now facing additional charges for allegedly attacking multiple deputies at the Utah County Jail.

Michael Aaron Jayne, 43, of Garrett, Indiana — who is already awaiting trial on a charge of aggravated murder — was charged Monday in 4th District Court with aggravated assault by a prisoner, a second-degree felony; two counts of assault by a prisoner, a third-degree felony; and causing property damage, a class A misdemeanor.

On July 30, two Utah County sheriff’s deputies were questioning Jayne about contraband found in his jail cell, according to charging documents.

“During the interview, (Jayne) became increasingly hostile and combative. When the deputies told him he would be moved to a more secure and restricted area of the jail, (Jayne) got to his feet, pushed the table toward the deputies, got in a fighting stance and said, ‘You’ll have to (expletive) make me go to Can One,'” the charges state.

As the deputies attempted to place handcuffs on Jayne, he threw punches at both men. After the deputies were able to pin Jayne against a wall, he yelled, “I will (expletive) kill you” and then “clawed” at one deputy’s face until he was able to dig a finger into the deputy’s eye socket “and curled his finger in an attempt to remove (the deputy’s) eyeball,” according to the charges.

Jayne also grabbed that deputy’s prescription glasses and “was stabbing at (the deputy’s) stomach with the metal part of the eyeglass frame, which he had sticking out between his fingers,” the charges state. The stabbing caused superficial wounds.

The second deputy attempted to help his partner, prompting Jayne to scratch and kick that deputy, according to the charges.

A third deputy who entered the room in an attempt to help suffered a sprained hand.

Jayne is already facing the death penalty if convicted of murder. He is accused of intentionally running over Hooser with a semitruck on May 5, 2024. A preliminary hearing in that case is scheduled for November.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Click here to follow the original article.

CNN Newsource

By Andrew Adams and Mary Culbertson

Click here for updates on this story

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah (KSL, KSL-TV) — A woman was arrested Monday in a stalking case that Cottonwood Heights police called “incredibly alarming” because of apparent delusions the woman has about her and the victim in the case — songwriter and Utah local, Post Malone.

According to Malone’s family, their concern had peaked because the woman’s behavior hadn’t stopped and had instead escalated continuously since early January.

On Monday, his father, Rich Post, told KSL-TV that the woman, Cherish Gomer, 31, had shown up at his son’s home at least a dozen times. Once, she even arrived barefoot after walking all the way from Salt Lake City, he said.

Further, law enforcement wrote in a police booking affidavit that Gomer “continues to stalk her victim and is always released from jail. She does not care about the consequences of her offenses, and will continue to cause significant emotional distress to her victim.”

According to court documents, the woman is homeless and reportedly “difficult to find.”

The latest encounter occurred early Monday, when she jumped in front of Malone’s car as he was trying to leave. Police said Malone’s driver had to swerve to avoid hitting her.

Officers quickly arrived and arrested Gomer just down the street. It was the second time she’d been arrested outside his home in eight days.

Court records show six stalking and criminal trespass cases in her file that date back to January, and a permanent protective order that was issued in February.

“She truly believes she has a calling from some sort of spirit animal, and she thinks she has a relationship with Mr. Post, and so she’s ‘entitled’ to do this, which is incredibly alarming, and these people can be incredibly dangerous as we’ve seen throughout history,” said Robby Russo, Cottonwood Heights police chief.

In Gomer’s most recent two cases, she was booked for investigation of third-degree felony stalking with a prior conviction and a violation of a permanent criminal stalking injunction. Additionally, Gomer pleaded no contest in April to an intoxication charge, stemming from an incident in January at the Post Malone-themed Raising Cane’s, 890 E. Fort Union.

Police said their goal was not only to protect Malone and his family, but also protect the woman “from herself.”

“We’ve exhausted all the remedies available within the system and the law, so we have the protective order, we keep arresting her, we keep putting her in jail and before a magistrate,” Russo said. “We’re hoping to find another remedy that keeps her away from the home and into some sort of program that helps her.”

As of Monday, Gomer was being held without bail at the Salt Lake County Jail.

Malone is scheduled to continue with upcoming tour dates, with the next date scheduled in Romania.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by KSL-TV’s editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Click here to follow the original article.

CNN Newsource

By Matt Gephardt

Click here for updates on this story

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KSL, KSL-TV) — Utahns are losing millions of dollars to fraudulent contractors who are taking the money but then walking off the job. Now, the state has formed a task force to protect consumers from contractor scams.

The KSL Investigators have reported on contractors leaving their clients high and dry several times in our continuing “Cited but not Shut Down” series of reports – including a fencing contractor who abandoned several jobs, a deck builder who abandoned several jobs and a landscaper who was paid and then abandoned several jobs.

These are just three of the scores of complaints regularly sent to Get Gephardt by frustrated viewers dealing with contractor issues. State regulators hear complaints, too.

The Utah Division of Professional Licensing received over 2,100 construction complaints in 2024. It says more than 1,000 complaints have been processed in 2025 – and counting.

Newly released data shows Utahns reported a staggering $32 million in construction fraud losses over the last three years, according to the Utah Commerce Department.

“We’ve seen a surge in reporting of construction fraud,” said Margaret Woolley Busse, executive director.

She said the losses are particularly brutal for people building new homes, where the average loss per consumer is $302,000.

“We have a new task force that is going to be focused on the construction fraud problem that we have here in Utah,” Busse said.

Fraud is already a crime in Utah, but victims have long lamented that police tend to treat construction fraud as a civil matter, telling folks their recourse is filing a lawsuit.

One of the biggest changes with the new task force is that the state is assigning a prosecutor to go after bad contractors.

“We are putting together a very coordinated effort to stop this construction fraud,” Busse said.

Part of that effort includes working to stop scams before they happen. The task force is also putting together tools like contract templates, tips to hire good builders, and free guides on avoiding rip-offs.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Click here to follow the original article.

News Release

The following is a press release from the City of Idaho Falls:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The City of Idaho Falls recognizes City Attorney Michael Kirkham with both pride and a deep sense of gratitude for his outstanding service to the city as he takes judicial office as a Bonneville County magistrate judge. Kirkham’s legal expertise, professionalism and unwavering commitment to the City of Idaho Falls have been hallmarks of his extraordinary tenure. His contributions have played a vital role in shaping sound municipal governance and protecting the interests of the community.

Kirkham has served the City of Idaho Falls for more than 11 years. He began as the assistant city attorney in 2014 and was appointed as the city attorney on Dec. 1, 2023, following the retirement of longtime City Attorney Randy Fife.

“Mike’s service to the city has been nothing short of exceptional,” said Mayor Rebecca Casper. “His thoughtful counsel and steadfast integrity have earned the trust and respect of his colleagues and community alike. While we are excited for him and the next chapter in his career, he will be deeply missed — both personally and professionally.”

Kirkham’s official transition date is still being finalized, but city officials have already begun outlining the next steps and establishing a timeline for leadership transition.

The position of Idaho Falls city attorney has been posted and is available on the city’s website on the Career Page. The city hopes to announce Kirkham’s successor by early October. “The city attorney is critical to the operations of every city department, so we will be working to fill this position without delay,” stated Mayor Casper.

“It has been an incredible honor to serve the people of Idaho Falls,” said Kirkham. “I’ve been fortunate to work alongside dedicated public servants who care deeply about this community. My time with the city has shaped me both personally and professionally. I am extraordinarily grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve the community.”

The City of Idaho Falls extends its heartfelt congratulations to Kirkham on this well-deserved appointment and thanks him for his many years of distinguished service.

Click here to follow the original article.