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Ogden • With just under a month before his capital murder trial is set to begin, Jeremy Valdes — accused of killing a Roy mother and son — was in court Tuesday as attorneys argued which photographs of the bloody 2009 crime scene can be shown to a jury.
Jeremy Lee Valdes, 36, is charged in Ogden's 2nd District Court with two counts of capital murder for the November 2009 deaths of Matthew Roddy, 30, and Pamela Knight Jeffries, 53. He is also charged with second-degree felony obstructing justice, and joyriding and two counts of abuse or desecration of a human body, all third-degree felonies.
On Tuesday, attorneys spent several hours arguing whether 23 photographs — which depicted the dead bodies of Roddy and Jeffries at their Roy trailer home and at a later autopsy — were considered "gruesome" and should be barred at trial.
Deputy Weber County Attorney Branden Miles asked Judge Mark DeCaria to allow the photos, saying that while some were bloody or unpleasant to look at, they help the state prove their case: that Valdes knocked Roddy to the ground, sat on top of him and stabbed him 31 times. As for the graphic photos of Jeffries, Miles said they will be used to show the jury her injuries after Valdes allegedly kicked her several times in the head.
Defense attorney Randall Marshall argued that the photos did little more than show a lot of blood, and could possibly prejudice a jury.
"I've dealt with a lot of this stuff, but to be honest, they gross me out," Marshall told the judge about a certain group of particularly bloody photos. "I just think they will literally sicken the jurors."
DeCaria did rule that several of the photos would be admissible during Monday's hearing, but he also reserved ruling on others so he could take more time to decide whether they would be appropriate at trial.
Valdes will be in court next on Jan. 6, when attorneys are expected to discuss jury selection and instructions. His seven-week trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 20.
If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
On Nov. 25, 2009, Valdes allegedly fatally stabbed Roddy during an argument about stolen prescription drugs. Police believe Valdes then beat Jeffries, Roddy's mother, before leaving her unconscious with a plastic trash bag around her head. Both victims were then stuffed into a closet.
Miranda Statler, Valdes' girlfriend, was charged with moving the bodies, stealing Matthew Roddy's car and lying to police. She pleaded guilty in 2010 to obstructing justice and was sentenced to prison for up to 15 years. She was released from prison in July.