Sixth defendant pleads guilty in Uintah County slaying

VERNAL — A Uintah County woman has admitted to having a hand in the 2011 shooting death of a Roosevelt man.

Teaunna Cesspooch was initially charged in 8th District Court with murder and attempted murder, both first-degree felonies, along with a number of other felonies and misdemeanors. 

A judge approved a plea deal Wednesday that reduced the murder charge to aggravated assault, a second-degree felony. The attempted murder charge was reduced as well to aggravated assault, a third-degree felony. 

Cesspooch, 20, also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of assault and committing a violent act in the presence of a child. 

Cesspooch is the sixth person to be convicted of charges stemming from the death of James Edward Carey. 

Uintah County sheriff's detectives say the Fort Duchesne woman and four other people went with Bruce Silva to a home on Ute tribal land on June 18, 2011, to confront the person Silva believed had vandalized his car. During the ensuing fight, Cesspooch handed a .38-caliber handgun to Colin Rian Manning, who passed it to Silva, according to court records. Silva used the gun to kill Carey and wound Jared R. Hurley.

Silva, 24, pleaded guilty to murder and aggravated assault. Manning, three of Silva's brothers and his girlfriend pleaded guilty to felony charges for their roles in Carey's death and received prison sentences. Cesspooch will be sentenced April 2.

— Geoff Liesik

Twitter: GeoffLiesik