Here's a detailed look at Utah's 40 homicide cases

The Bureau of Criminal Identification defines homicide as the willful, non-negligent killing of one human being by another. The state only counts first-degree felony homicides and manslaughter in its statistics and does not tally homicides on federal land. In order to stay consistent with figures compiled from years past, neither BCI nor the News included automobile homicide, officer-involved shootings or fatal incidents that were determined to be in self-defense.

The News did count some second-degree felony homicides, such as child-abuse homicide and incidents that were originally charged as first-degree felony murder even if the defendant later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

1. LEHI, Jan. 6 — Kristy Ragsdale was shot and killed on her 30th birthday just as she arrived at church. Her estranged husband, David Ragsdale, 35, was waiting for her at the church parking lot, 1631 E. 900 North. When she arrived he shot her several times. Ragsdale later called police and turned himself in. In November, Ragsdale avoided a trial by pleading guilty to murder in exchange for a possible death sentence being taken off the table. Sentencing is Jan. 29.

2. SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 6 — Diego Mendoza, 16, was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting outside Sears, 800 S. State. A second man, Eder Orona, 23, was shot in the chest but did not die. A third escaped injury but was fired upon as he ran away. Luis Salazar Mendoza, 24, was later arrested and charged with aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder. Alex Rodriquez, 17, was also charged as an adult with murder. A scheduling conference is Jan. 6.

3. MIDVALE, Jan. 17 — Frank Saucedo, 43, died two days after being shot in the back of the head during an apparent road-rage incident. Saucedo was in the front passenger seat of a car with two other people. Their vehicle pulled out of a Smith's Food & Drug parking lot near 7000 South and 1000 East, and may have cut someone off, according to police. A few words were exchanged at the stop light between drivers. The driver of a late 1990s dark green Toyota Tacoma followed Saucedo's vehicle before firing a shot through the back window on Fort Union Boulevard near 700 East, hitting and killing Saucedo. No arrests have been made. Anyone with information can call police at 840-4000.

4. BOUNTIFUL, Jan. 19 — Susanne Fry, 57, was stabbed 51 times with a steak knife inside her apartment near 2100 S. Main. Phillip Simmons, 35, was arrested. Police say after the slaying, Simmons, who was living with Fry at the time, destroyed the apartment by punching holes in the wall, smashing windows and turning over a china hutch. He was arrested a block away. Simmons was declared incompetent to stand trial. Another review hearing is March. 24.