Man in Jordanelle killing appears in court

A 19-year-old man accused in the shooting and killing of a woman at Jordanelle State Park made his first appearance in court in Heber Wednesday.

Christopher Alvey is charged in 4th District Court with one count of aggravated murder in the death of 21-year-old Ashley Sparks on Dec. 26. The aggravating circumstance in the case was that Sparks was killed for the purpose of either preventing her from testifying or providing evidence in either an investigation or legal proceeding, according to court documents.

In court Wednesday, Alvey was advised of the charge against him and assigned a public defender. Arguments on a possible reduction in bail were continued. Alvey is being held in the Wasatch County Jail. His next court hearing is scheduled for Jan. 28.

Alvey was one of three men arrested in connection with the homicide, but as of Wednesday he is the only one to be charged.

Joshua Binkerd, 22, who had been housed at the Salt Lake County Jail since his arrest in late December, was transferred Wednesday to the Utah State Prison on probation violation.

Binkerd was placed on probation after being found guilty in February of 2008 of third-degree felony forgery. Since that conviction, he was charged in October with theft, a third-degree felony, and misdemeanor burglary of an automobile. Binkerd was also charged earlier this year with second-degree felony theft in a separate incident.

Jason Cowdell, 29, was also arrested for his alleged part in the homicide. He remained in the Salt Lake County Jail Wednesday on a U.S. marshal detainer.

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E-mail: preavy@desnews.com

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