This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A man arrested last week in connection with the Easter Sunday death of 46-year-old Matthew Earl Holt was formally charged Friday with shooting and robbing the man, and then disposing of evidence.
Jeffery Ray Shepherd, 35, of Tooele, was charged in 3rd District Court with first-degree felony aggravated murder, which carries the potential for the death penalty. Shepherd also was charged with first-degree felony aggravated robbery and second-degree felony obstructing justice.
Shepherd was being held without bail at the Salt Lake County jail. No court dates were immediately set.
Charging documents state that following his arrest on May 15, Shepherd admitted that on the afternoon of April 16, he was in the area of the Jordan River parkway, where he confronted Holt with a gun and demanded money.
Later that day, a passer-by found Holt dead in his car in a parking lot near 3200 South and 900 West.
Shepherd told police he shot Holt in the head, picked up the spent shell casing and left the area, later washing blood from his car and disposing of the .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol in a garbage bin at a fast food restaurant, charges state.
South Salt Lake police have said that security camera images of Shepherd's car, from businesses in the area, were critical in locating the suspect.
Charges state that the video footage showed a silver Chevrolet Sonic LTZ with a sunroof parked together with Holt's black Mazda at about 1:30 p.m. on April 16. In one video, voices can be heard, followed by a single gunshot. Seconds later, the Chevrolet can be seen leaving the area.
Police conducted a statewide search for every silver Chevrolet Sonic LTZ with a sunroof, but the only one found at the time, which was eliminated from suspicion, charges state.
Then, at about 10 p.m. on May 14, an off-duty police officer spotted a silver Chevrolet Sonic LTZ with a sunroof exiting Interstate 80 at Tooele, charges state. Shepherd was the driver.
Other evidence against Shepherd includes that on May 14, he told an acquaintance that he had left her home on Easter morning and had not returned that day as promised because he had "killed somebody," charges state.
Also, Shepherd's roommates told police that he had left the house on Easter morning and did not return until evening.
Police also learned that Shepherd had purchased several guns, all of which were accounted for except a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol, charges state.
Police have said they do not know why Holt was at the Jordan River Parkway parking lot the day he was killed.
Earl Holt, the victim's father, has said he is pleased an arrest had been made, but he knows the family still must endure court appearances and a sentencing before closure can occur.
"I'm glad this part of it is done," he said in a phone interview last week. "My wife and I both don't want any vengeance, but we're happy there's been an arrest.
"It's just a senseless thing that happened to our son. He was such a good man, and he touched so many lives."