Hambleton murder case up to jury

Jurors are expected to begin deliberations in the case of Dan L. Petersen today after a three-day trial marked by unexpected twists and surprise testimony, including witnesses for both the prosecution and defense who backpedaled on previous statements.

Petersen, 44, is charged with first-degree felony murder in the 1986 slaying of 14-year-old Tiffany Hambleton, whose partially clad body was found with more than 15 stab wounds in a ditch on Salt Lake City's west side.

Petersen took the witness stand Wednesday and admitted that he has lied repeatedly to police over the years about not having had sexual contact with the girl, whom he met at a KISS concert on Feb. 17, 1986, and invited back to his place for a party.

When asked why he lied about the sexual activity, Petersen said he was afraid police would suspect him of killing the girl.

"Dan, did you kill Tiffany?" asked defense attorney Randall Skeen.

"No, I did not," Petersen replied.

Petersen said he tried to give the girl a ride home around 4 a.m., but his classic 1957 Chevy truck ran out of gas and he coasted into a restaurant parking lot. He suggested sleeping there until daylight, but he said Hambleton wanted to get to her own home and began walking. He didn't want to leave his truck, he said, because it had expensive new tires and it was from an era in which there were no keys to lock or start it, so anyone could have stolen it.

Skeen asked Petersen why a jury should believe him, since he did lie about the sexual behavior. Petersen said he has witnesses who can attest to the truthfulness of what he has said: one who saw him the next day with no blood on him, two others who helped him gas up the truck and get it started, and police searches of the truck that turned up nothing.

"I am sworn to tell the truth today," Petersen said. "The lie stops."

Prosecutor Kent Morgan asked why Petersen was willing to walk to his own home, leaving this cherished truck, once it was daylight.

"A lot of crime happens at nighttime," Petersen said.

He also said he at first assumed Hambleton was 18, although he said he learned later that evening that a female housemate had been questioning Hambleton and friends who were with her about how old they were because the housemate suspected they were underage.