Jury: Roberto Miramontes Roman, who once confessed to killing Millard County sheriff's deputy, not guilty

SPANISH FORK — A man who once confessed to killing a sheriff's deputy, but changed his testimony during this week's trial was acquitted of the murder charge late Friday.

The jury deliberated nearly eight hours, ultimately finding Roberto Miramontes Román not guilty of shooting and killing Millard County sheriff's deputy Josie Greathouse Fox on Jan. 5, 2010.

Román, however, was convicted of tampering with evidence and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, both third-degree felonies.

The surprise verdict deeply affected Millard County Sheriff Robert Dekker, who said, "The jury was wrong."

"I believe in my mind that he's guilty and somehow or another he's going to walk," Dekker said after the verdict was read at the 4th District Courthouse.

Afterward, the jury forewoman said the group wanted to convict, but there was too much reasonable doubt. She expressed condolences to the slain deputy's family.

"Obviously, we're very happy with the verdict. It's very gratifying when the jury listens to all the evidence," said defense attorney Stephen McCaughey. "He's happy he's not going to be getting life without parole."

Although Roman initially described to police how he'd shot and killed the sheriff's deputy, McCaughey said his client had been threatened and changed his story after the threat was gone.

"I don't know what happened, I just know what my client said happened. He explained why he lied to police to begin with," he said. "The jury didn't believe there was enough other evidence to convict. The burden of proof was on the state. They put on a lot of evidence. It really didn't show anything. It was just a lot of fluff."

The jury began deliberating at about 3 p.m. Friday, asking 4th District Court Judge Donald Eyre at one point how long they'd be expected to stay without reaching a verdict. They entered the courtroom just after 11 p.m.

Román took the stand in his own defense Thursday and Friday, surprising courtroom observers by testifying that it was Fox's brother, Ryan Greathouse, who actually fired the fatal shots.

"So, blame the dead guy. Blame the guy who can't defend himself. Blame the guy who can't respond. Blame deputy Fox's dead brother," prosecutor Pat Finlinson said. "Ladies and gentleman, I think that's called adding insult to injury. Ryan Greathouse did not kill his sister."

Finlinson pointed to an interview on Jan. 6, 2010, when Román confessed to police that he shot the deputy as soon as she approached his vehicle during a traffic stop. He reminded jurors that Roman went so far as to demonstrate how he had held the gun.

"All the credible evidence, all the believable evidence in this case leads to the conclusion that this defendant killed deputy Josie Greathouse Fox and then ran away," Finlinson said. "The new version is not consistent with the evidence and it's not believable."

But McCaughey reminded jurors that Román is presumed innocent until proven guilty and said there is no independent evidence, beyond Román's confession, that implicates the man. He reiterated Román's testimony that Greathouse threatened him.

"(Román) had just seen Ryan Greathouse shoot his sister. He had just heard Ryan Greathouse threaten his children. He was afraid of what he could do," McCaughey told jurors. "He's telling the truth now because the danger is gone."

Ryan Greathouse was found dead in a Las Vegas bedroom a few months after the shooting.

Earlier in the day, Román was cross-examined by prosecutors and repeated his testimony that Ryan Greathouse shot his sister and said Greathouse "screamed, he swore and then he cried."

Prosecutors then called rebuttal witnesses — police officers who went to talk to Ryan Greathouse soon after the shooting and testified that Ryan Greathouse did not appear to have been crying.