Destiny's body found in Salt Lake City

Victim discovered in home of neighbor

Destiny's body was discovered in the basement of a home just two buildings behind her own home, from which she vanished on July 16.

"I can't understand how someone can do this to a child," sobbed Destiny's uncle, Peter Brooks.

Police arrested Craig Roger Gregerson, 20, for investigation of criminal homicide. He was being questioned by police and FBI agents overnight and was expected to be booked into the Salt Lake County Jail early today. Investigators found Destiny's body about 8:30 p.m. Monday in the basement of the home at 518 E. Elwood Place.

"No parent should have to endure a tragedy of this nature," Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank said in making the announcement at a press conference. "The thoughts and prayers of the entire community go out to them."

Burbank said police detectives and FBI agents had developed information about Gregerson, who lived alone in the home just two doors behind Destiny's home near 700 South and 500 East.

Salt Lake City Police and the FBI refused to release any more information Monday night.

Some of Destiny's family and friends were furious at law enforcement. Brooks said investigators had assured the family that they had searched every home in the area, several times.

"They found her in one of the apartments," family friend Jeannie Hill said. "They told us they'd searched these buildings four (expletive) times. They did not do their job."

People gathered outside the home of Ricky and Rachael Norton after the news broke were clearly angry and began shouting at police, frustrated that officers did not find Destiny sooner.

"The cops came around and harassed the whole neighborhood. They searched my house three times real well," said Scott Seaman who lives in the neighborhood.

Many of the people the Deseret Morning News had talked to Monday night said they did not know Gregerson.

Officials at the Salt Lake County Jail said Gregerson had been booked once before. In December 2004, Salt Lake County sheriff's deputies said he had been booked into jail for assault related to a domestic violence incident.

The discovery of Destiny Norton's body and Gregerson's arrest capped an intensive, weeklong search for the little girl with streaks of green in her blonde hair and a row of silver teeth in her mischievous smile. She vanished July 16 after walking outside her home.

An Amber Alert was issued and a neighborhood search began. The Amber Alert was canceled a short time later after a 51-year-old man was located, questioned about her disappearance and released.

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