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Ogden • On Tuesday, just two weeks before Jeremy Lee Valdes' capital murder trial is set to begin, prosecutors told a judge they no longer want to seek the death penalty in the double-murder case.
Valdes is charged in 2nd District Court with two counts of capital murder for the November 2009 deaths of Pamela Knight Jeffries, 53, and her 30-year-old son, Matthew Roddy.
The 36-year-old defendant 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.
Prosecutors would not comment as to why they have decided to drop their death penalty request, which they filed almost five years ago.
In court, Judge Mark DeCaria said he was not opposed to the request, but made no immediate ruling. The judge set another hearing for Wednesday afternoon to discuss the death penalty issue, along with other legal issues in preparation of the seven-week trial, which is scheduled to begin Jan. 20.
Deputy Weber County Attorney Leticia Toombs told the judge Tuesday that prosecutors want another aggravating factor added to Valdes' charges. Currently, Valdes is charged with aggravated murder because two or more persons were killed. Toombs said new evidence uncovered in 2013 indicates that Valdes allegedly murdered the two victims to keep them from calling the police about a prescription pill theft. At the time of the murders, Valdes was on a no-tolerance probation, Toombs said.
"His buddy contacted him and told him that Mr. Roddy was going to be calling probation and/or the police," Toombs said. "Valdes informed his buddy that he was going to make Mr. Roddy change his mind."
On Nov. 25, 2009, Valdes allegedly fatally stabbed Roddy during an argument about the 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 Roddy's car and lying to police. She pleaded guilty in 2010 to second-degree felony obstructing justice and was sentenced to prison for up to 15 years. She was released from prison in July.
Twitter: @jm_miller