Conflicting accounts of 'green light' for Jordanelle State Park murder

HEBER CITY — The convicted killer of Ashley Sparks told a jury Monday that he believed his friend and fellow small-time hustler, Joshua Binkerd, gave him a "green light" to murder her.

Christopher Alvey, 21, pleaded guilty in April 2009 to the killing in Jordanelle State Park on Dec. 26, 2008. He received a prison sentence of 20 years to life in exchange for his testimony.

"I took her up to the lake, told her to get out, she got out and I shot her," Alvey said. "I have dreams about it almost every night."

Alvey said that while he first planned to simply abandon Sparks up in the mountains, he interpreted a phone call from Binkerd that day telling him not to bring her back as an order to kill her.

Binkerd, 23, is charged with aggravated murder.

Jurors on Monday viewed two hours of a police interview of Binkerd that was taped two days after Sparks, 21, was killed. Binkerd repeatedly told investigators that although he was concerned Sparks would snitch about his drug-selling and check-forging activities, he did not want Alvey to hurt her and never ordered her death.

Instead, he said, he told Alvey to drop her off somewhere and keep her away from his Taylorsville apartment.

Two men who allegedly delivered Sparks to Alvey near Binkerd's home have refused to testify at the trial.

On Monday, Jason Cowdell, who was reportedly angered when he caught Sparks copying numbers from his phone, asserted his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination.

And last week, when Cody Brooks refused to answer questions in court despite being granted immunity, 4th District Judge Derek Pullan fined him $1,000 and ordered him jailed for contempt of court until he cooperates.

Salt Lake police detective Justin Hudson, who interviewed Binkerd, admitted Monday it was a "big mistake" not to seize the phones of Cowdell and Brooks. Officers from the Department of Natural Resources, which led the investigation because the murder took place in a state park, instead focused their inquiry on Alvey and Binkerd.

Cross-examination of Alvey is set to resume Tuesday.

e-mail: pkoepp@desnews.com