Parley Jeffs Dutson was charged in 3rd District Court in West Jordan with first-degree felony murder in the death of Kara Hopkins.
Dutson also is charged with aggravated sexual assault, a first-degree felony punishable by up to life in prison.
About 2 a.m. Saturday, in an apartment complex at 9300 S. Redwood Road, Dutson and Hopkins were at a small party. A court affidavit says Dutson wanted to have sex with Hopkins in front of others.
Hopkins refused, and someone tried to intervene. Dutson drew a gun and pointed it at Hopkins, the affidavit states.
Hopkins tried to hide behind someone, and Dutson shot Hopkins in the head, the affidavit states.
Dutson then began removing his and Hopkins' clothing and said he wanted to have sex with the girl until she died, according to the affidavit.
A security guard arrived and pulled Dutson from Hopkins.
Dutson is being held in the Salt Lake County jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Hopkins mother has said Dutson was high on mushrooms. The affidavit states that partygoers told police Dutson also smoked marijuana.
Dutson is from the polygamous community Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz. The towns are home to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which practices polygamy and adheres to a strict moral code prohibiting drugs, alcohol and even PG-13 movies.
Dutson is the son of Bygnal Dutson, a Colorado City Town Council member and owner of the Vermillion Deli and Candy Shoppe in Colorado City.
A woman who answered the phone at the Vermillion restaurant said Bygnal Dutson was not available. His last listed telephone number has been disconnected.
Dutson apparently left the community a couple years ago, becoming one of the so-called Lost Boys.
Many of these teens pick up smoking, drinking or drug use, behavior that contributes to their being written off by their families. Polygamous sect leader Warren S. Jeffs, who is in the Washington County jail on accomplice to rape charges, has taught his followers to cut off wayward children.
Isaac Wyler, an ex-FLDS member who still lives in the community, said the teens are "just basically abandoned."
"The only reason these boys swing so far to the other side is because they lose everything," Wyler said. "It's because they have no hope. They are convinced in their mind they are damned eternally."
Wyler said he hopes some parents in the community "step back and say, 'Oh my goodnesss, what have we done.' They are as responsible as that kid was for what happened."
