Horrific details emerge

The man accused of kidnapping, killing and then raping 5-year-old Destiny Norton will make his first appearance in court this morning.

Craig Roger Gregerson will appear via video hook-up from the Salt Lake County Jail, where he will formally hear the charges against him. He could receive the death penalty if he is convicted.

The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office charged Gregerson, 20, with aggravated murder and child kidnapping Thursday. Prosecutors revealed graphic details about how Destiny died and where police found her body.

"This is very devastating for our entire family," Destiny's uncle, Peter Brooks, said, speaking for her parents, Ricky and Rachael Norton. "They are very pleased at the outcome of the charges that were filed."

In charging documents filed in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court, prosecutors allege that Gregerson spotted Destiny on July 16 as she was playing in her back yard. He persuaded her to come inside his apartment, prosecutor Bob Stott said.

The medical examiner's autopsy said that Destiny died because she was smothered.

"The defendant stated that once she was inside the defendant's residence, Destiny wanted to leave and became very vocal," Stott said Thursday. "The defendant placed his hand over Destiny's mouth and squeezed. Destiny went limp. The defendant then carried Destiny's deceased body into his basement and later engaged in sexual activity with Destiny's body."

Basement search

Destiny's body was found inside a plastic storage container in the basement. Police said it was "well concealed."

"It was concealed in such a way as they were unable to locate her," Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank said. Officers searched Gregerson's home, but Burbank would not say how many times or if they looked inside any of the plastic storage bins inside the cellar. Prosecutors described the basement as a tight, confined space with a lot of things.

Police and FBI agents looked at Gregerson for some time. They were unable to remove him from their list of people that they were investigating in connection with Destiny's disappearance.

"We would never, ever cross anybody off the list until we were fully satisfied that individual could explain where they were," said Tim Fuhrman, the special agent-in-charge of the FBI's Salt Lake City office.

Gregerson met with an FBI agent July 24. According to the criminal charges, Gregerson told the federal agent what happened.

"There was an interview, and he confessed," Stott said.