Salt Lake Tribune
Weekly Ad Specials
Detective: St. George girl was raped and strangled at park
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Posted: 11:54 AM- ST. GEORGE - A 15-year-old St. George girl found dead in a city park earlier this year was raped and strangled there, according to testimony Thursday at a hearing for the 15-year-old boy accused of killing her.

Detective Allen Johnson testified in 5th District Juvenile Court that when he arrived at Dixie Downs Park on Jan. 10 - after police received an anonymous phone call - he found Keely Amber Hall's partially clothed body.

Hall's cell phone was found nearby, he said, and investigators discovered her last call came from the then-14-year-old defendant.

The boy was picked up, questioned and then charged with first-degree felony murder, rape and aggravated sexual assault.

Prosecutors are asking Juvenile Court Judge Thomas Higbee to send the case to district court so the boy can be tried as an adult.

Higbee, who ruled there was probable cause to hold the defendant, set a hearing for July 5 to determine if expert witnesses will be allowed to testify for the defense when the judge considers whether to send the case to district court.

Higbee has barred reporters from publishing the defendant's name, race or other identifying information. He is allowing the boy's age to be released.

The boy's mother was in court Thursday. Family and friends of the victim also were on hand, sobbing at times.

Article Tools

 
Affiliates and Partners