2 men plead guilty to assault, obstruction in connection with fatal stabbing

SALT LAKE CITY — Two men charged in connection with a fatal stabbing in Holladay have pleaded guilty. 

Austin Scott Taylor, 21, and Ryan Gordon Curtz, 18, both pleaded guilty Monday to charges of obstructing justice, a second-degree felony, and assault, a class A misdemeanor, in connection with the death of Michael Robert Workman, 25.

A third man, Talon Levi Hamann, 18, has been charged with murder, a first-degree felony; obstructing justice, a second-degree felony; and tampering with a witness, a third-degree felony. 

Workman had apparently been playing Frisbee golf on Aug. 22 and phoned his father that evening to tell him he was going to hang out with friends afterward. He went to a friend's house and parked his car nearby, just west of an LDS meetinghouse at 4930 S. Westmoor Road (1730 East).

In the early morning hours of Aug. 23, prosecutors say Workman left the home with two other people and was confronted by three men in the parking lot — Hamann, Curtz and Taylor.

"Michael and Ryan began fighting with each other. Austin joined the fight and helped get Michael on the ground," according to charges filed in 3rd District Court.

Hamann had a knife and stabbed Workman in the legs and torso, the charges state. Police say all three men then fled the scene and went to a house where police say Hamann and Taylor removed their blood-stained clothing. Hamann took that clothing and his knife and said he would "take care of this," according to the charging documents.

Taylor's attorney, Cara Tangaro, said both her client and Curtz agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as part of their plea agreements.

A preliminary hearing has been set in Hamann's case for Feb. 8. At that time, a judge will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to order the man to stand trial on the murder charge. 

— Emiley Morgan

Twitter: DNewsCrimeTeam