From Deseret News archives:

Accused double murderer makes first court appearance

Published: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 11:29 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
OGDEN — The man accused of gunning down two women made his first court appearance here, where he was formally charged with murder.

Jacob Daniel Ethridge, 31, appeared in 2nd District Court via video from the Weber County Jail on Tuesday, where he is being held without bail. He was formally charged with two counts of first-degree felony murder.

"Is Jacob Daniel Ethridge your true and correct name, sir?" the court clerk asked him.

"Yes," he replied.

The brief hearing was shown at the jail's downtown location, where family members of other inmates craned their necks to see an old TV behind a dirty plastic partition broadcasting the court appearances. They strained to hear the proceedings over the loud hum of vending machines in the same room.

"Do you understand what you've been charged with, sir?" Judge Parley Baldwin asked him.

Ethridge leaned in to whisper something to the attorney handling the jail arraignments.

"Well, there is a dangerous weapon enhancement. We'll see what it is," said Steven Laker. "He understands everything, but doesn't understand what that is and we didn't know about that."

Story continues below
The judge explained to Ethridge that he faces up to life in prison if convicted. A dangerous weapons enhancement can lead to more penalties at sentencing.

Ethridge is charged in the deaths of Teresa Rene Tingey, 43, and Rosanna Marie Cruz, 25, late Saturday night. According to a police statement filed with the charges on Tuesday, Ogden police had responded to a report of a woman dead from an apparent gunshot wound early Sunday morning, when Ethridge walked into the police department and surrendered, confessing to two slayings.

"Ethridge gave police the location of another victim he shot and killed 1/2 hour before. Police located the second dead woman. She also appeared to have died from a gunshot wound," Ogden Police detective Tim Scott wrote in an affidavit filed with the charges.

Investigators told the Deseret News that Ethridge had been having "homicidal thoughts" for the past year or so. Police allege he got into a fight with his girlfriend late Saturday night and drove to Adams Avenue, where he solicited the prostitutes and then killed them.

The accused killer qualifies for a public defender.

"We'd like to set this for a decision to preliminary hearing so we can get the police reports and assign an attorney. There may well need to be some other things that we do after that," Laker said.

A hearing was scheduled for July 21.


E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com

Recent comments

Cost is not the best argument for the death penalty, as we pay far...

KLD | July 15, 2008 at 1:57 p.m.

What?

"Dr Booty" - do you seriously believe that the status of the...

"Even though...." | July 15, 2008 at 1:01 p.m.

Even though the victim's in the case were prostitutes, this case...

Death Penalty is Warranted | July 15, 2008 at 11:58 a.m.

Image

Jacob Ethridge

previousnext

Latest comments

RSL's Rimando makes 3

So Great!!! So Proud - Love RSL - Bring Home The CUP!!!!!

mr cannon's bold assertation that the purpose of the first ammendemnt as...

Real Salt Lake advances to MLS Cup

Great great great game!!!! Nicky Rimando is a god! We're the most complete...

I had the game on DVR and just watched it. That was the most exciting game...

financially cannot this year, but I will watch loyally, how great to hear...

This is hardly surprising. Bennett has a remarkable arrogance which is also...

Real Salt Lake advances to MLS Cup

I guess that is why "they play the game" as Herman Edwards would say.. ...

BYU happy to escape with victory

What was the score of the LSU vs LA tech game? Alot closer than you'd like to...

Has Fedor not said that THIS IS OUR YEAR all year long? Go back and...

This is just a small glimpse of the future with Obamacare: corruption, waste...

Advertisements
Advertisement