Man bound over to trial in killing of uncle

PROVO — Jeffery Boyd Ackerman had "toxic" levels of methamphetamine in his bloodstream when he was shot to death by his nephew Colton Louder in Pleasant Grove on Feb. 27.

Dr. Todd Grey, the chief medical examiner for Utah, testified in a preliminary hearing in 4th District Court Monday that Ackerman's blood had 4 micrograms per milliliter of methamphetamine.

"That's a pretty high level," Grey said. "It could be quite toxic in and of itself."

But it was being shot six times, not drugs, that claimed the 45-year-old Ackerman's life.

"Given that the victim had so many gunshot wounds, I don't think (methamphetamine) was a cause," Grey said.

Louder, 25, was bound over for a trial by Judge Fred D. Howard following the hearing. He is scheduled to be arraigned on charges of first-degree felony murder on Oct. 6 at 2 p.m.

Police say Louder, of Lehi, was visiting his grandparents' house in Pleasant Grove on Feb. 27 and was talking with Ackerman in the garage. For unknown reasons, Louder started running away from the garage, with Ackerman in pursuit.

During the chase, Louder pulled out a Springfield XD .45-caliber handgun and shot at Ackerman, who was pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting, police said. Louder ran and was arrested about an hour later several blocks away. The gun was recovered in the parking lot of a medical clinic near the shooting.

While much of Monday's hearing focused on the shooting and Louder's subsequent arrest, it was Grey's testimony that Louder's defense team hopes will lend credence to their contention that Louder fired the gun in self defense.

"We are very pleased with the outcome of the hearing," said attorney Lisa Crawford. "What I did learn was the level of drugs. I didn't realize just how high (Ackerman) was."

Grey said the effects of meth use include paranoia, aggression and delusional thinking, although every person reacts differently to the drugs.

"How Mr. Ackerman was behaving, I do not know," he said. "The only thing I can say is that his intoxication was fairly acute fairly close to his time of death."

Blood toxicology tests also show Ackerman had used marijuana fairly recently before he was shot, and traces of cocaine use, although no cocaine, were found in his blood and urine.

Crawford said the results showing Ackerman's drug use may help attorneys arrive at a plea agreement.