A 43-year-old man has been ordered to stand trial for murder for allegedly killing a Taylorsville acquaintance three years ago, then stealing his bank card and using it to make purchases.
Quent Evans, of West Valley City, is charged in 3rd District Court with first-degree felony murder for the Nov. 9, 2008, death of Douglas McGrory, who was strangled with a necktie.
Evans is also charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery and one count of unlawful possession of a financial transaction card and four counts of unlawfully using a financial transaction card.
Following a preliminary hearing this week, Evans pleaded not guilty to the charges. A scheduling hearing is set for March 22 before Judge Terry Christiansen.
According to preliminary hearing testimony and charging documents, Evans told police he went to McGrory's Taylorsville condo on Nov. 9, 2008, where he begged McGrory for money so he could buy drugs.
When McGrory told Evans to leave, a fight ensued where Evans tied McGrory up, jumped on his back, put a tie around his neck and pulled on it, charges state.
Evans then took a bank card that was in an envelope with the PIN written on it, charges state.
Over the next three days, Evans used the card to get money from a bank ATM and make purchases at different convenience stores, court documents state.
Prosecutors have said video surveillance footage of Evans using McGrory's bank card helped lead investigators to connect him to the slaying.
The Utah Medical Examiner's Office determined that McGrory died from asphyxia due to strangulation.
